Slow Cooker Monday: Mini Salted Caramel Mocha Cheesecakes
Monday, 12 November 2012
Today they’re announcing the 3 finalists and…(drum roll, please…) I’m one of them!!
Now that Crock-Pot has narrowed it down to their 3 favorite entries it’s YOUR turn to vote! Public voting is open from today through Monday, November 25th. You can vote once a day for the next 2 weeks and you don’t need an account or anything. Get this–the grand prize is a trip to NYC to film an episode of From the Kitchens Of… on the Cooking Channel!! So if you want to see me on TV, please click here and vote. And tell your friends to vote. And go vote again tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that…
Seriously though, this recipe is a real winner. Russ, who has tried approximately 1.5 million of my desserts in the last 8 years, actually said this is his favorite! He’s already planning on asking me to make this for his birthday. Which is 6 months away. If this can make him plan that far ahead, it is something special. I give you Exhibit A:
Please excuse the run-on sentence, but I had to show you how much he loved this dessert. Let me tell you why it’s so awesome:
Inside those cute little jars, from the bottom up, is: chocolate graham cracker or cookie crust, mocha cheesecake, salted caramel, whipped cream, more salted caramel drizzled on top. It’s a pretty decadent dessert, but the little jar gives you a small, satisfying portion. It’s the perfect portion control.
You pop the jars into a slow cooker with some water and they cook in about 90 minutes while you go make dinner or go out and see a movie or whatever you want. I think these would be wonderful for a dinner party. They could cook as you get ready and are already portioned out into individual sizes. All you’d have to do is refrigerate them during dinner and add the toppings with your guests.
Ingredients
- Mocha cheesecake:
- 3/4 cup ground chocolate graham crackers or chocolate wafers (I used chocolate Teddy Grahams)
- 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter, melted
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp instant coffee
- 1/8 tsp salt
- Salted caramel:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Whipped cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Lightly coat six 4-oz. jars with non-stick spray. Mix ground chocolate crackers or wafers with butter and a pinch of salt. Add a tablespoon plus a teaspoon of crust mixture to each jar. Push down crust into an even layer. Repeat with remaining jars and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Add egg and mixed until combined. Mix in melted chocolate, vanilla, instant coffee, and salt. Pour filling into each jar until 3/4 full and place them into slow cooker. Carefully pour hot water around the jars until they are 3/4 submerged. Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 hours. When done, they should be solid. Remove from slow cooker and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- To make salted caramel, add butter, brown sugar, heavy whipping cream, and salt to a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat for 7 minutes, whisking occasionally. Add the vanilla and cook 1 more minute to thicken further. Pour caramel into a jar, then refrigerate until cold.
- When ready to serve, pour salted caramel sauce and whipped cream over each cheesecake.
No. 1 — November 12th, 2012 at 7:21 am
Congrats, Stephanie!! Woohoo!! Voted, spreading the word! These cheesecakes are genius! And now I would like one, pretty please
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet recently posted BB Monday: Cook’s Illustrated Chewy Brownies
No. 2 — November 12th, 2012 at 7:27 am
Anna, thank you so much! They’re as good as they look, I swear. I wish I could make one for everyone who votes!
No. 3 — November 12th, 2012 at 8:13 am
Hi Stephanie!! I’m so excited for you!! I voted and will share on twitter!
Tamara recently posted Introducing My New Website: The Dessert Sweet!
No. 4 — November 12th, 2012 at 8:15 am
Tamara, thank you!! It’s so exciting. Thanks for sharing with your Twitter followers!
No. 5 — November 12th, 2012 at 10:32 am
Congrats on being a finalist. You’re so talented! I am going to vote right after I finish this comment. Love the crock pot idea. I just got a crock pot for my boyfriend since he doesn’t have an oven. I have been “baking” in the crock pot and love it. I can’t wait to try your recipe in our new crock pot. I am so excited. Thanks for the recipe.
Christina @ Be mindful. Be human. recently posted Pork Tender Loin Wrapped in Apple-Wood Smoked Bacon
No. 6 — November 12th, 2012 at 10:46 am
Christina, thanks! Slow cookers are awesome. There’s so many great things you can make in them!
No. 7 — November 12th, 2012 at 10:56 am
I voted for you, Stephanie.
No. 8 — November 12th, 2012 at 10:57 am
Thank you Robin!
No. 9 — November 12th, 2012 at 1:22 pm
I had fun voting for you! Good luck! This will be my Thanksgiving dessert!!
No. 10 — November 12th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
Thanks Roma! This will be a delicious Thanksgiving dessert! I’m thinking about making it again for my Thanksgiving too.
No. 11 — November 12th, 2012 at 5:55 pm
What cute little cheesecakes! Love the salted caramel and mocha!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) recently posted dark chocolate & hazelnut nougatine cookies
No. 12 — November 13th, 2012 at 6:33 pm
Wow! Congrats Steph! Good luck! I’m off to vote for you.
Stef recently posted A Cupcake Lover’s Thanksgiving Turkey Should Be Stuffed with Cupcakes
No. 13 — November 13th, 2012 at 7:26 pm
Stef, thanks for your support!
No. 14 — November 13th, 2012 at 8:18 pm
Me: “Steph entered the first-ever Crock Pot Crock Stars Contest and she is one of the three finalists!”
Annie: “I know! I voted for her! Was that her news?”
Me: “Yes! She is amazing!”
Annie: “Your sister IS amazing. Your whole family is amazing. I just feel like you’re visionaries. I feel like when you put your minds to something, it is just immediate and amazing things immediately start to happen and people respond right away and it just all comes together like THAT. So like, your sister and her blog, your brother and his science writings….” (she had examples for me too but this is YOUR blog!)
No. 15 — November 13th, 2012 at 8:19 pm
Danica & Annie, thanks for voting and for all your support! We are all amazing
No. 16 — November 13th, 2012 at 8:20 pm
And by “your blog” I assume she means “your blog, and by extension your growing baking and food writing career!!!!”
Danica recently posted Ground Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies
No. 17 — November 14th, 2012 at 5:12 am
Delighted to vote for you my friend!!!
Susan in the Boonies recently posted Choosing a Great Wine to Accompany Your Thanksgiving Meal
No. 18 — November 14th, 2012 at 7:09 am
Susan, thank you! You’re the best!
No. 19 — November 18th, 2012 at 6:40 am
What a fun recipe!
Jen @ Savory SImple recently posted Chocolate Chip Bourbon Pecan Pie
No. 20 — November 18th, 2012 at 9:15 am
Jen, thanks! It was a fun recipe to create.
No. 21 — November 18th, 2012 at 9:55 am
Congrats on being a finalist! I meant on commenting earlier, but had a few issues with the text, but now, all fixed! They do look exquisite and delicious! Kuddos to you! Sharing with twitter followers, for more votes! Now, on for the voting website! Good luck, Stephanie!
)
Raquel recently posted Illustrated ‘Bolivian-style’ adapted cooking: Green Bean Casserole!
No. 22 — November 18th, 2012 at 9:57 am
Raquel, thank you! I really appreciate you sharing on Twitter and voting
No. 23 — November 24th, 2012 at 4:40 am
omg!! I’m so sad I’m just seeing this right now! I will go vote right now. {And next time you better email me so I can help from the start – we need to get you on the Cooking Channel}!!
the wicked noodle recently posted butternut squash mac ‘n cheese {with optional buttery bacon breadcrumbs}!
No. 24 — November 25th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Kristy, thanks for you support! Next time I will be sure to reach out to you ASAP
No. 25 — December 25th, 2012 at 5:30 pm
Congrats! This looks amazing. But what can I use instead of a slow cooker?
No. 26 — December 26th, 2012 at 9:32 am
Thanks Fatima! You can also bake them in the oven by placing the jars into a baking dish and filling it with water until they’re halfway covered. I’m working on another version of this recipe using the oven and will update this post when it’s ready.
No. 27 — January 5th, 2013 at 11:01 pm
[...] the cupcake war at the Sacramento Chef Challenge, went to my first food blogging conference, came third in a national Crock-Pot contest, and have had countless opportunities to work with some of my favorite brands to develop recipes. [...]
No. 28 — January 17th, 2013 at 9:41 pm
[...] stirring too much or heating it up too quickly, or a myriad of other issues. When I was creating a salted caramel mocha cheesecake for a Crock Pot contest, I needed to find an easier version of salted caramel sauce. I came across [...]