Making a new variation on my chocolate orange chocolate chip cheesecake today, this time with banana instead of orange:

I’ve made variations on this dozens of times, normally with either a store brand cream cheese or Philly cream cheese (depending on how much I like my guests 😅), but this time I subbed in Tillamook instead…

After warming it so it would mix well, I put the bricks in the bowl and they just seemed WET. I was seeing visible liquid at the bottom which doesn’t normally happen.

After mixing, the batter seemed a lot soupier than normal. Still baking so I guess we’ll see where it’s at in 8 hours. I guess worst case is it will need to bake longer than the normal 8 hours.

I’ve posted the recipe before, but it seems cruel to mention it and not include it. You really can sub out the liqueur and extract with whatever flavor you think plays well with chocolate. Traditionally orange, but I’ve done Frangelico and hazelnut extract as well.

Chocolate Orange Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Makes 16 to 20 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 pounds cream cheese, room temp
2 teaspoons orange extract
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup orange liqueur (Grand Marnier)
5 eggs
12 ounces mini-chocolate chips (important that you use MINI-chips)

Preheat oven to 200F. This is a low temp, slow bake cheesecake.

Spray the interior of a 2-quart souffle dish or 9-inch cheesecake pan with spray shortening and dust with 1/4 cup of the cocoa powder. Set aside. This bakes into a dark chocolate crust.

In a large bowl mix the cream cheese and the sugar until smooth and soft, scraping the sides of the bowl and spoon as necessary. If the cream cheese is too cold to mix easily, float the foil packages in a sink full of warm water for 10 to 15 minutes.

Mix in the remaining 3/4 cup of cocoa powder, vanilla and orange extracts, liqueur and eggs until the batter is well blended.

Stir in the chocolate chips. The temperature is low enough that full size chocolate chips will not melt all the way and give it a weird texture.

Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven.

Bake for 6 to 8 damn hours or overnight.

Cool on a rack to room temperature.

Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper and an inverted plate.

Invert. Remove the pan and refrigerate cake upside down for at least 1 hour. (If you need to leave the house, the cake can stay refrigerated all day.)

Invert a serving plate over the cheesecake and invert the cake.

Remove the top plate and the paper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cut with a long, sharp knife dipped in warm water to prevent sticking.

Jordan’s note: There is a secret to “removing the pan” when dealing with a cheesecake…

Take the pan and turn it vertically, the cake is so heavy the top edge will pull away from the edge of the pan.

Rotate the vertical pan 45 degrees and let it pull away from the edge again.

Go all the way around the pan. Now when you turn it upside down the cake will pop right out of the pan.

Not in the recipe, but I decorate the top with candy orange slices:

https://www.ohnuts.com/buy.cfm/bulk-candy/gummies-gummy-candy/orange-jelly-fruit-slices

Candy Shop - Orange Slices Candy - 1 lb Bag https://a.co/d/g5CcM15