- 1 tablespoon softened butter
- 1 (3 ounce) package soft ladyfingers, left whole
- 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Heavy-duty foil for pan
- 6 tablespoons brewed coffee
- 2 tablespoons rum
- 3 tablespoons espresso powder
- 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Brush interior of a 9-inch spring-form pan with butter. Add crumbs of choice; tilt pan in all directions to evenly coat or line pan sides with ladyfingers. Tear off two long strips of heavy-duty foil, overlap in a cross pattern, and set the pan in the middle. Bring up sides, crimping around exterior top of the pan and forming a tight seal. Set it in a roasting pan large enough to hold it.
- Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated. Scrap down bowl sides and beat again until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition to insure a creamy batter. Slowly beat in vanilla, then cream and sour cream. (Meanwhile, bring tea kettle of water to a boil, then turn off heat.)
- Pour batter in prepared pan. Set the roasting pan on oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake until cake perimeter is set but center still jiggles, about 40 minutes (some flavor variations will take longer). Turn off heat and leaving oven door ajar, let cheesecake sit in turned-off oven so that the residual heat continues to gently cook it, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from water bath and set on a wire rack. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until well-chilled, about 3 hours. (Can be refrigerated up to 4 days). Run sharp knife around the edge of the pan, loosen the spring side, slice and serve.