This Almond Joy Cheesecake is the ultimate treat for true coconut lovers – How many Bounty Bars can you eat in a row? This cake will definitely test you!
Some of you may have noticed that I haven’t posted here in a while. I’m real sorry about that, but I’m afraid this slow posting regimen is probably going to be the norm from now on.
Unfortunately, because I’ve only been posting about once a week since I started this blog, I haven’t been able to build any real decent traffic. If you hope to rank in this highly competitive world, you better be WAY more prolific than that. Since traffic is so low, the revenues generated are also close to non-existent. In fact it’s actually costing me money to keep this place alive. Plus, as much as I love baking and creating decadent desserts from scratch, things had gotten to a point where I’d pretty much force myself to come up with indulgent recipes once a week, just to feed the blog. This has proven to be counterproductive for me, as well as highly detrimental to my health.
With that in mind, I decided not to close the place down but that as of now, I’d only be posting on here when I feel like it. Unfortunately, there’s no saying how often this will be…
The Almond Joy Cheesecake recipe that I am sharing today, I have to admit I’m not 100% pleased with. Ideally, I would’ve liked to redo it until I got it just right, but doing that takes time and costs a fair bit of money. So I was left with 2 options: simply let it fall into oblivion or share the recipe as is, with its few minor flaws.
I decided in favor of logging it, because the cake was still amazing even if it wasn’t perfect. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll want to try it again and improve upon it. And if when I do that, then I’ll be able to fill you in!
So yeah, I’m logging the recipe mainly for myself, for future reference, but also for those of you who happen to be true hard core coconut fans. I just KNOW that you will be all over this cake. I’m telling you, this Almond Joy Cheesecake is the ultimate treat for true coconut lovers – I mean really, how many Bounty Candy Bars can you eat in a row? This cake will definitely test you!
You’re looking at a thick, sweet and sticky coconut and toasted almond crust, a creamy — maybe too creamy — slightly tangy cheesy interior, filled with loads of pieces of Bounty Candy Bars, topped with even more sticky coconut almond deliciousness followed by a rich dark chocolate coconut ganache. And to crown this beauty, a pile of chopped Bounty Candy Bars, toasted almonds and shredded coconut as well as a little drizzle of ganache get mounded in the center.
Non-coconut fans really need not apply!
Now, you’re probably wondering: what is it that I would I change if I was to do it again?
Well, for starters, I would make sure that there were no holes in my aluminum foil, as was the case with this one. Yeah, I know. Don’t even get me started on this. Of course, because of that stupid pinhole in the foil, water ended up seeping into the pan, which undoubtedly altered the overall texture of the crust and cheese filling. I’m sure that the filling would’ve been a tad firmer had water not gotten to it. Oh, it wasn’t TONS of water, but still. Not one drop should have been able to make its way to it.
Secondly, I would maybe make the crust a little bit thinner, but then again, this is really a “maybe”. As you can see, it is fairly thick, so it’s a bit tricky to cut into, especially with the center being so creamy and all, and it takes a lot of airtime, like it’s trying to run the show, you know. But the thing is so crazy good that you don’t ever really feel like there’s too much of it. Would you ever complain that there was too much filling inside a Bounty Candy Bar? I thought not.
Other than that, if you have a real sweet tooth and love coconut, the thing is perfect.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS & PICTURES
TO MAKE THE CRUST
Line the bottom of a 9” springform pan with parchment paper. To do that, remove the ring and cover the bottom with parchment paper. Fold the excess paper back under the plate and, while holding it in place with one hand, put the ring back in its position with the other hand. Bring the excess paper back from under the pan but do not cut it off.
Combine shredded coconut, toasted almonds, flour, cornstarch and salt in a mixing bowl, stir delicately with a spoon until well combined.
Pour in sweetened condensed milk, add vanilla extract…
Mix until well combined.
Transfer this mixture to the prepared pan and press it firmly at the bottom and about 3/4 of the way up the side of the pan.
This is one sticky crust, so using a flat bottomed glass dipped in lukewarm water as needed will make your life easier.
Place the pan over a piece of aluminum foil and fold the foil over the pan so the exterior is completely covered; this will prevent water from getting into the pan later. Now place this rig into a roasting pan. Set aside.
*Note to self: make sure there are no holes in your aluminum foil, so water doesn’t seep in!!!
TO MAKE THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
Preheat your oven to 350°F and bring about 4 cups of water to the boil; you’ll be using it later to make a “bain-marie” for your cake.
Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar and salt in the bowl of your food processor. Process until the mixture is super smooth and creamy and completely lump free, about 3 minutes. Stop the motor to scrape the sides once or twice as needed, to make sure that every last bit gets incorporated.
Add the eggs all at once and resume processing until they are well combined, about 1 minute.
Add the coconut cream, vanilla, coconut extract and corn starch and resume beating until well incorporated, about 30 seconds. Again, scrape the sides once or twice to make sure that the mixture is completely homogeneous.
Remove the S blade from the bowl and carefully stir in the chopped Bounty Candy Bars.
Pour the cheesecake batter into the reserved crust…
…spread evenly all the way to the sides.
There should be just enough batter to completely fill the pan and leave you with a few spoonfuls so you can test the flavor…
Delicately pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan so it goes up about 3/4 of the way up the side of said roasting pan.
Be careful not to get any water between the foil and pan!
Place that rig onto the middle rack of your oven and bake your cake for 25 minutes at 350°F. Then, decrease the temperature to 250°F and continue baking your cake for another 85-90 minutes, or until the cake is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Leave the cake in the oven, undisturbed, for about 1 hour, or until it’s cool enough to be handled with your bare hands, and then slide it out of the oven.
When the cheesecake is completely cooled, run a thin spatula or knife around the rim and refrigerate uncovered for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
TO MAKE THE COCONUT ALMOND TOPPING
Combine the shredded coconut and toasted almonds in a bowl and mix to combine. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk…
…and stir well.
TO MAKE THE GANACHE
Combine the finely chopped chocolate, heavy cream, coconut oil and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute, allow the mixture to rest for 1 full minute and then stir delicately for 1 full minute. At this point, the ganache should be completely smooth and combined, but if there were still lumps remaining, repeat the process again but for no longer than 20 seconds this time; continue doing that until the ganache is smooth and silky, without ever being hot to the touch.
ASSEMBLY
Take the cake out of the fridge, carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a cake plate or board.
Drop the coconut topping by the tablespoonful all over the cake and delicately spread it in an even layer all the way to the edge.
Then, drop small spoonfuls of the ganache all around the edge of the cake and push it over so the ganache drips down the sides.
Once you’ve been around the entire cake, cover the entire top with ganache and place your cake in the refrigerator to set for about 15 minutes.
Then, pour the rest of the ganache (make sure to save 3 to 4 tablespoons to garnish the cake later) over the top and spread it all the way to the edge, pushing it slightly past the edge to create more little drips down the sides of the cake.
Mound the chopped Bounty candy bars in the center of the cake…
Sprinkle the chopped almonds and shredded coconut and then drizzle the reserved 3-4 tablespoons of ganache over this mound of goodness
I used a squeeze bottle to do that, but you could use a parchment paper cone, a pastry bag, resealable plastic bag or a spoon. If you find that your ganache has gotten too firm to be drizzled, send it for a very short trip to the microwave, like 5 seconds or so…
Place the cake in the refrigerator once again to set for about 15 minutes.
This cake is best served chilled, although like I said, cutting into it can be a bit tricky because of the thick crust and super creamy cheese filling: this makes it really hard to get super clean slices. Using a sharp chef knife dipped in super hot water will definitely help make the job easier!
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Ingredients
- 4-1/2 cups (400g | 14oz) shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 cup (150g | 5.3oz) toasted almonds, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (65g | 2.3oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 can (300ml | 14oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract, (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/2 tsp salt (I use Himalayan salt)
- 3- (250g | 8oz) packages full fat cream cheese
- 1 cup (250g | 8oz) 14% fat sour cream
- 1 cup (200g | 7oz) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) coconut cream (or heavy cream)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp pure coconut extract
- 3 tbsp corn starch
- 4- 57g (2oz) Bounty Candy Bars, roughly chopped
- 2-1/4 cups (200g | 7oz) shredded sweetened coconut
- 3/4 cup (115g | 4oz) toasted almonds, finely chopped
- 1 can (300ml | 14oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1-1/4 cups (225g | 7.9oz) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 3 tbsp corn syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2- 57g (2oz) Bounty Candy Bars, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp finely chopped toasted almonds
- 1 tbsp shredded sweetened coconut
- 3-4 tbsp ganache (reserved from above)
Instructions
- Line the bottom of a 9” springform pan with parchment paper. To do that, remove the ring and cover the bottom with parchment paper. Fold the excess paper back under the plate and, while holding it in place with one hand, put the ring back in its position with the other hand. Bring the excess paper back from under the pan but do not cut it off.
- Combine shredded coconut, toasted almonds, flour, cornstarch and salt in a mixing bowl, stir delicately with a spoon until well combined. Pour in sweetened condensed milk, add vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Transfer this mixture to the prepared pan and press it firmly at the bottom and about 3/4 of the way up the side of the pan. Use a flat bottomed glass dipped in lukewarm water as needed to make your life easier.
- Place the pan over a piece of aluminum foil and fold the foil over the pan so the exterior is completely covered; this will prevent water from getting into the pan later. Now place this rig into a roasting pan. Set aside.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and bring about 4 cups of water to the boil; you'll be using it later to make a "bain-marie" for your cake.
- Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar and salt in the bowl of your food processor. Process until the mixture is super smooth and creamy and completely lump free, about 3 minutes. Stop the motor to scrape the sides once or twice as needed, to make sure that every last bit gets incorporated.
- Add the eggs all at once and resume processing until they are well combined, about 1 minute.
- Add the coconut cream, vanilla, coconut extract and corn starch and resume beating until well incorporated, about 30 seconds. Again, scrape the sides once or twice to make sure that the mixture is completely homogeneous.
- Remove the S blade from the bowl and carefully stir in the chopped bounty candy bars.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the reserved crust, spread evenly all the way to the sides, then delicately pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan so it goes up about 3/4 of the way up the side of said roasting pan. Place that rig onto the middle rack of your oven and bake your cake for 25 minutes at 350°F. Then, decrease the temperature to 250°F and continue baking your cake for another 85-90 minutes, or until the cake is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Leave the cake in the oven, undisturbed, for about 1 hour, or until it's cool enough to be handled with your bare hands, and then slide it out of the oven.
- When the cheesecake is completely cooled, run a thin spatula or knife around the rim and refrigerate uncovered for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
- Combine the shredded coconut and toasted almonds in a bowl and mix to combine. Pour in the sweetened condensed milk and stir well.
- Combine the finely chopped chocolate, heavy cream, coconut oil and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for 1 minute, allow the mixture to rest for 1 full minute and then stir delicately for 1 full minute. At this point, the ganache should be completely smooth and combined, but if there were still lumps remaining, repeat the process again but for no longer than 20 seconds this time; continue doing that until the ganache is smooth and silky, without ever being hot to the touch.
- Take the cake out of the fridge, carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a cake plate or board. Drop the coconut topping by the tablespoonful all over the cake and delicately spread it in an even layer all the way to the edge.
- Then, drop small spoonfuls of the ganache all around the edge of the cake and push it over so the ganache drips down the sides. Once you've been around the entire cake, cover the entire top with ganache and place your cake in the refrigerator to set for about 15 minutes.
- Then, pour the rest of the ganache (save 3-4 tablespoons to garnish) over the top and spread it all the way to the edge, pushing it slightly past the edge to create more little drips down the sides of the cake.
- Mound the chopped Bounty candy bars in the center of the cake, sprinkle the chopped almonds and shredded coconut and then drizzle the reserved 3-4 tablespoons of ganache over this mound of goodness (I used a squeeze bottle to do that)
- Place the cake in the refrigerator once again to set for about 15 minutes; serve chilled.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
Jenny from jennyisbaking.com says
Thank you so much for your honesty! I did notice that you hadn’t posted in a while and was wondering why. Yes, it is hard to survive in this very competitive and saturated food blog world. I am also doing it more for me (and for the people who constantly ask for my recipes) than for anybody else.
Regardless, I am happy that you decided NOT to take down your blog, but still share. Thanks for that. I do enjoy your recipes and I will continue to check them out.
Evil Twin says
Thank you for your love and support, Jenny! And fear not, I’ve no intention of taking the blog down for now as I still have loads of indulgent recipes in me that should eventually end up here. The only thing is it may take much longer for them to go from my mind to the table to here… 😉
Newfoundland gal says
Life is short and so busy. You are doing what you love both on your recipe blogs and as your own person (and you are a grandmama!), which is super great for everyone. Whenever you post a new recipe, your loyal and grateful fans will be there to enjoy it and to thank you for all your excellent work. Brava!
Evil Twin says
Thank you so very much for your loyalty and support, you’re such a gem! Your kind words went straight to my heart. Thank you! <3 <3 <3
Kiara says
Maybe there is a space for your evil twin at the Healthy Foodie, somehow? I just hope we get to keep seeing your decadent posts.
Evil Twin says
It’s really hard to mix the both of them, Kiara, as they are such complete opposites. But fear not, My Evil Twin is not about to give up her share of the kitchen. She’ll still get her air time and post her own stuff, too. Only she won’t get to do it as often, that’s all. 😉
Janet Welte says
I follow everything you post, and you have never let me down, your recipes are always SO GOOD!!!! I will be looking forward to seeing more, and I will try and get some more followers for you., it is a harsh world out there, and people seem to follow the pack, regardless of them having original recipes or not, of which most of them are stolen, adapted 1 ingredient to now call it their own, and I quit following about 50 different food bloggers because of that. take care, and I WILL wait for you!
Evil Twin says
Aw, thank you so much Janet, aren’t you just the sweetest thing! I take great pride in creating my own unique recipes from scratch, for the most part. To me, that’s half the fun… I fully intend to continue to do just that, too! Only not as often…
Thanks for sticking around, you totally rock!
Janet Welte says
I shared your website, and so far I have 7 new followers for you, I will keep doing it, you rock, not me!
Evil Twin says
You’re the best, Janet! A true rock star!!! Thank you so much for that! 😀
Janet Welte says
Just to let you know, I made your black forest cake, the Ferrero Rocher Nutella Cheesecake, the Brown sugar maple apple pie and the triple chocolate ombre cake, and they were the absolute best! Everyone who ate them, just raved about all of them, I will miss your evil twin!
Evil Twin says
Whoa! You made all that? Wow! I’m flattered. Fear not, I shall be back with new recipes from time to time, I swear!
Janet Welte says
and, as soon as it cools down here, I will be making your wicked windmill chocolate cake, and the classic Frasier cake and the 2 that have the chocolate chip cookie dough in them, one a cake, and one a cheesecake.
I am always looking for your new posts, so I will patiently await, you are so talented, and you put a lot of work into the recipes and the blog post, with all your pictures and step by steps and videos. You are the best!
Evil Twin says
Awwwww, thank you so very very much Janet! You certainly are giving me good reason to keep this place alive! You totally rock!!! <3
Janet Welte says
thanks, but you are the one who rocks! To be so healthy in your real life lifestyle, and then to go completely off the rail and give us something that we just drool by looking at it, and can’t wait to make it!
Catherine says
Your recipes are amazing. I wish you could hear all the positive feedback from everything I’ve made from them. I appreciate every post, no matter how long it takes. ????
Evil Twin says
Really? Well, I’m really happy to hear that one, you made many of my recipes and two, got great feedback from them. Thanks for letting me know that, Catherine, I sincerely appreciate it! Makes keeping the blog alive that much more worthwhile! 🙂
stacey a geiermann says
hi. i MISS you and your recipes SO VERY MUCH. I like how you think!
Evil Twin says
Awwww! Thank you so much, Stacey. I’m still around, but since adopting a vegan lifestyle, I’m not quite as inspired to bake decadent desserts. Who knows, maybe someday the inspiration will come to me. Decadent vegan desserts are most certainly a thing! 🙂
Michelle says
I just found your evil twin recipe site. I have yet to make anything but They all look delish!! I have shared with friends .
Thank you
Justin says
Thank you . I just finished making this cheese cake per the request of my family. It turned out amazing. I thought my batter was a bit too runny, maybe due to my mixing. I used my kitchen aide with a paddle on high. And maybe a bit too long. But all in all. It turned out amazing. Thank you and Merry Christmas