Red Velvet cheesecake

This cake is intensely red and that makes it quite special. I made it for the Valentine's Day . "Wow" effect guaranteed!

Springform pan 24 cm
Preparation time: 30 min + 115 min baking + chill overnight
Servings: 14

Tips:

Bring all the ingredients to room temperature before use. It will prevent cracks in the cheesecake. Take the ingredients out of the fridge at least 1 hour before baking.
Be careful when using the coloring gel. It does color other things easily (like your skin or a countertop).
Do not use too much coloring as it will affect the taste in higher amounts (it will overpower the cream cheese note)
Decoration: Using scissors cut a heart shape out of a piece of parchment paper. Place the parchment paper just above the ready cake. Use then oreo crumbs to make the heart shape on the cake!

INGREDIENTS

Crust:

17 oreo cookies (with filling)
2-3 tablespoons of melted butter

Cheesecake:

3 pakages 300g Philadelphia cream cheese
200 g sugar
4 eggs (L)
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
125 ml sour cream
70 ml buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon white or apple vinegar
20 - 30 g red gel coloring (depending on how intense you want the cake to be)

Glaze:

100 g Philadelphia cream cheese
80 g powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of Bailey's (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160˚C.

2. Prepare the crust. Crush the cookies. You can put them in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or use a food processor.

3. In a bowl, combine the cookie crumbs with melted butter using a whisk.

4. Prepare the form. Grease it with butter and then put the cookie crumbs into it. Press the cumbs mixture into the bottom using hand or a glass. Set aside.

5. Prepare the filling. In a separate bowl mix first the cream cheese with sugar using a mixer, until combined.

6. Add the cocoa powder, the sour cream, the butter milk, the vanilla extract and vinegar. Mix until combined.

7. Add the eggs, one by one and mix until well combined with other ingredients.

8. Time to add the coloring. Add one teaspoon at a time and mix well until the coloring is evenly spread. You can stop as soon as you are happy with the intensity of the color.

9. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the form.

10. Bake: 10 minutes 160˚C. Then reduce to 150˚C and bake for another 75 minutes. Then turn off the oven and leave the cake inside with oven door closed for another 30 minutes.

11. In the meantime, prepare the glaze. Put all the ingredients in a bowl and combine using a mixer.

11. Leave the oven door ajar and let the cake cool inside for another 15 minutes. Then take the cake out. Let it cool completely before decorating.

12. Decorate the cake with the glaze. Use some oreo crumbs to make decorations on the top of the cake.

13. Put the cake into the fridge and chill overnight.