Super Delicious Chocolate Cheesecake
This chocolate cheesecake features a chocolate cookie crust, creamy chocolate cheesecake filling, chocolate ganache, and shaved chocolate. If you are a chocolate lover you are going to love this dessert. The chocolate cheesecake filling folds melted semisweet or bittersweet chocolate into a delicious mixture of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and sour cream. You will start with making the crust and you will need a two-piece 10 inch that is 25 centimeters springform pan. Butter the pan and set aside.
For the crust, you will need chocolate wafers and then process them into crumbs, you can do that in a food processor of you could put them in a ziplock bag and crush them to fine crumbs. To that, add melted butter and stir that in until all the crumbs are moistened. Put the crumbs on the bottom of the pan, not the sides, use the back of the spoon to make an even layer.
Bake the crust for 5 to 7 minutes just until its set. For the chocolate cheesecake, start by melting your chocolate over a pan of simmering water. You can use either semisweet or bittersweet chocolate but use good quality chocolate. Once melted, let it cool to room temperature. Add full-fat cream cheese in a stand mixer then beat just until nice and smooth then add granulated white sugar then beat again until everything is well incorporated.
For flavoring, add vanilla extract then beat in one egg at a time while beating after each addition. Next, add in the melted chocolate and beat that in. The last ingredients that will really help lighten up your cheesecake batter are sour cream. You can use full fat or reduced-fat sour cream and have it at room temperature. Fold it in the batter and make sure everything is well mixed in the batter.
Pour the batter in the pan with the crust, spread it out nice and even then bake between 50 to 60 minutes. What you are looking for is nice and set and the entre of the cheesecake will still be a little wet and wobbly. Once baked, let it cool completely then place it in the refrigerator for about an hour just to chill a little before glazing. For the chocolate ganache, add chocolate chips in a bowl then that add heavy cream and butter.
Bring the batter and the cream just to a simmer then pour the hot cream over the chocolate then gently stir just until the chocolate is melted. Take your chocolate cheesecake out of the fridge and pour the ganache on top then spread the ganache out. Place it back in the fru9dge and let everything chill overnight to firm up very well. Slice your chocolate cheesecake into small slices and enjoy.
Ingredients;
- 1 1/2 cups (150 grams) chocolate wafer crumbs (homemade or store-bought)
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) butter, melted
Cheesecake Filling;
- 12 ounces (340 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 24 ounces (3 – 8ounce packages) (680 grams) full fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (220 grams) full fat or reduced-fat (light) sour cream, room temperature
Ganache:
- 4 ounces (115 grams) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) heavy whipping cream (cream with a 35-40% butterfat content)
- 1/2 tablespoon (6 grams) butter, room temperature
Instructions;
- Chocolate Cheesecake; Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Butter a 10 inch (25 cm) springform pan. Place the springform pan on a larger baking sheet (to catch any drips).
- Crust: In a bowl combine the chocolate wafer crumbs with the melted butter. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom of your prepared pan. Bake for about 5-7 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
- Cheesecake Filling: Melt the chocolate in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Then, in the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the cream cheese, on medium-low speed, until smooth.
- Add the sugar and beat until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the vanilla extract. Add the melted chocolate and beat until incorporated. Finally, fold in the sour cream. Pour the batter into your pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for about 50 – 55 minutes or until firm yet the center of the cheesecake still looks a little wet and wobbly.
- Remove from the oven and carefully run a knife or spatula around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake.
- Let cool to room temperature and then cover and refrigerate for an hour before covering with the ganache.
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat (or in the microwave).
- Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for a few minutes. Stir until smooth.
- Cool slightly and then pour over cheesecake. With an offset spatula or back of a spoon, evenly spread the ganache over the top of the cheesecake.
- Cover and return to the refrigerator for several hours, preferably overnight. This cheesecake is quite rich, so cut small slices.