Double Chocolate Cheesecake

Here’s an great recipe to help you ease into baking. While there are several steps involved, none of them is too difficult. Just take your time and follow the directions. Next thing you know, you’ll be in Chocolate Heaven.

Ingredients:

Crust
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie or chocolate graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup melted butter

Filling
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 8-0z. packages cream cheese (softened)
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup (heaping) unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease an 8 or 9 inch springform pan.

Finely crumble enough chocolate graham crackers or cookies to equal 1 1/2 cups. You can do this by either of the following methods:

1) Break crackers or cookies by hand into small pieces and place in fine metal strainer. Use a heavy spoon or flat-bottomed meat tenderizer to crush cookies. The finer particles will slip through the strainer, leaving larger pieces for you to continue crushing.

2) Place crackers or cookies in a 1-gallon storage bag (I prefer zipper bags) and remove air. Use a rolling pin to crush. Keep rolling until you have very fine crumbs.

Mix crumbs with sugar and cinnamon. Add melted butter and stir well to coat all crumbs. You can also use your hands, but make sure they’re clean.

Line springform pan with parchment paper, both bottom and sides. This will make it easier to remove the cheesecake when set.

Press crumbs into bottom of pan, then into sides, up to two inches in height.

Bake crust at 350° for ten minutes. Remove from oven and let cool as you continue.

Reset oven to 325°.

While the crust is cooling, heat whipping cream and chocolate chips, stirring constantly to blend. Do NOT walk away from this! Also, use only HEAVY whipping cream for best results. Once blended, remove from heat.

In a large bowl or mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

Add cocoa and beat well until thoroughly blended.

Add eggs and beat on low speed until just blended.

While the mixer is running, add vanilla and chocolate mixture from above, until blended.

Pour filling over crust and bake at 325° for 40-50 minutes (depending on size of pan), or until the center is almost, but not quite, set.

While the chessecake is cooling, make topping.

Place chocolate chips in small bowl, preferably metal.

Heat 1/4 cup whipping cream, vanilla and cinnamon in small pan until almost boiling. Stir constantly, and do NOT boil, as you will scald the cream.

Pour cream mixture over chocolate chips and stir until smooth.

Pour topping over cheesecake, and smooth with thin spatula. If desired, create swirls in topping for better presentation.

Let cake continue to cool on counter until just warm. Then refrigerate overnight.

To Serve:

Remove side of springform pan by releasing the latch and slowly lifting.

Remove parchment paper from sides.

Slip thin spatula under the bottom of the cake (but above the parchment paper) and slide cake onto plate.

Dust serving plates with cocoa powder and place slice in center.

Add dots of chocolate sauce or whipped cream, if desired.

Conclusion:

As you can see from the directions above, none of this is all that hard. Remember to take your time and take your time. As always, have fun and…

Play with your food!

Lane

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