Despite its sophisticated appearance, this checkmate cheesecake recipe proves that mastering it is simpler than you think. Life without desserts is dull, but this delightful treat not only satisfies your sweet tooth but also impresses with its aesthetics. Follow along, and you’ll soon have a chessboard-inspired masterpiece that will have your guests begging for the secret behind its creation.
Chessboard Cake
Ingredients for the Dough:
- 50 ml (1.7 fl oz) Milk
- 2 tbsp Cocoa
- 150 g (1 1/4 cups) Unsalted Butter
- 180 g (1 1/2 cups) Flour
- 3 Eggs
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
Ingredients for the Cream:
- 4 Eggs
- 120 g (1 cup) Powdered Sugar
- 700 g (3 cups) Cottage Cheese
- 200 g (1 cup) Sour Cream
- 125 g (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter
- 2 tbsp Flour
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
Ingredients for the Glaze:
- 100 g (3.5 oz) Chocolate
- 50 g (1/4 cup) Unsalted Butter
Feel free to substitute yogurt for sour cream and vanilla sugar for vanilla extract. Opt for medium-fat cottage cheese or consider ricotta or mascarpone as alternatives. Adjust the sour cream quantity accordingly.
Instructions:
In a saucepan, combine milk, cocoa, sugar, and unsalted butter. Heat until all ingredients dissolve, stirring continuously. Once homogeneous, remove from heat and let it cool.
Add flour, baking powder, and eggs to the cooled mixture. Mix thoroughly using a whisk or mixer on low speed.
Line a baking form with foil or parchment paper. Pour the batter evenly and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for 25 minutes.
After baking, remove the cake from the oven, let it cool, take it out of the form, and continue cooling.
Now, prepare the cottage cheese cream. Beat unsalted butter with powdered sugar and egg yolks.
Gradually add cottage cheese and sour cream. Beat until the mixture is smooth.
Whisk the egg whites separately, then add them to the cottage cheese mixture. Optionally, add vanilla extract and mix well. Refrigerate the cream.
Cut the chocolate sponge cake into 10 equal strips.
Take the baking form and line it with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Start arranging the strips at equal distances.
Fill the spaces between the strips with the cottage cheese cream using a piping bag or a simple plastic bag.
Add another layer of strips. Now, arrange chocolate strips on the cream. Fill any gaps with more cream.
Melt butter and chocolate using a water bath. Apply the glaze to the cake and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
If you prefer not to use glaze, you can grate chocolate and sprinkle it over the cake. Alternatively, cut strips from paper, lay them on the cake as a stencil, and dust the exposed squares with powdered sugar. Voila!
Enjoy your chessboard cheesecake, a tempting delight. Feel free to experiment with the number of layers for a clearer chessboard pattern.
Share this recipe with your friends, and they’ll be grateful!
