Death by Chocolate.

The term “Death by

Chocolate” is so often used for extremely chocolate desserts, it made me wonder

though, can it truly happen? When it

concerns dogs, the answer is yes, maybe not immediately, but eventually. Chocolate contains substances known as

methylxanthines, specifically caffeine and theobromine; canines cannot

metabolize theobromine, so builds up and becomes toxic to their systems. The darker and more bitter the chocolate, the

higher amount of theobromine present.

For example: 8 ounces of milk chocolate may sicken a 50 pound dog, but it

can be poisoned by as little as 1 ounce of Baker's chocolate!

Alright, we know for

certain that chocolate can cause death in dogs, but humans are ok with major

consumption of chocolate, right? Hey,

don’t shoot me, I’m just the messenger; yes, it can harm humans also. First off, eating a severe poundage of

anything can almost, or surely, kill us; secondly, diabetics can’t metabolize

the high sugar content; thirdly, if a person has an allergy to theobromine, say

hello to the Grim Reaper. Dang, I’m so

depressed right now; I love chocolate!

Moral is know your health and eat in moderation; don’t worry, the rest

of the Hersey bar will be there…where you hid it.

Back to dessert, I have

admitted that I'm not a big fan of baking; don't enjoy doing the precise

measurements required for a perfectly baked item. However, that doesn't mean I shy away from it

altogether, and find ways of experimenting.

One cake I love to play with is cheesecake; using different types of

cookies for a crust; pureed fresh, or chopped dried, fruits; candy pieces;

various flavor combinations. It's almost as fun as making cookies, and there

are hundreds of variations of those!

Time to follow me on a

inside the pan; spray also with baking spray.

Mix the crushed graham

crackers with the melted butter; press onto bottom and halfway up sides of pan.

Place in refrigerator for a half hour to set.

Preheat oven to 325F.

In a large bowl, beat the

cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar and vanilla extract on high until well blended.

Add the eggs and melted chocolate; on low speed mix until well blended.

(Note: melt and cool the chocolate just before adding

to the cream cheese mixture and eggs; if the chocolate is too hot, it will

cause the eggs to scramble)

Take pan out of

refrigerator, set on top of a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap foil

up around the sides. Pour the cream cheese/chocolate mixture over the crust and

smooth out with a spatula.

Place the pan inside a 3

quart baking dish, so that it sits flatly; pour cool water into the baking dish

¼ up the side of the pan. Be careful no water gets inside the aluminum foil.

Place inside oven on center rack; bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the center

is almost set. Turn off heat, prop open oven door and wait for 30 minutes

before removing baking dish. Set pan on counter, run a knife around the rim of

the cake to loosen sides; refrigerate for 4 hours.

To make the ganache, in a

small saucepan, medium-high heat, bring the heavy cream to a boil. Add in the

chocolate and quickly begin whisking until chocolate is melted, incorporated

well and has a smooth, shiny texture.

Let cool slightly; remove

cake from refrigerator and pour ganache over the top, smooth out with a

spatula. Return cake to refrigerator for 4 more hours or overnight; depending

on when it is planned to be served.

Carefully open springform

pan; use a long, wide spatula to get between pan bottom and parchment paper.

Carefully lift cake onto serving dish; cut into 16 slices.

Mary Cokenour