Few things can truly exceed the richness and creaminess of cheesecake. But with the addition of chocolate, this luxurious cake reaches new levels of decadence.
Most people are familiar with a classic New York-style cheesecake. A sweet and toasty graham cracker crust adds a slight crunch, creating a wonderful balance to the thick layer of dense, velvety cream cheese filling sitting atop it. Just a whisper of warming cinnamon from the graham crackers effortlessly cuts through the rich sweetness and unmistakable tang of the cream cheese. With such a lush combination, it doesn’t seem likely that the addition of chocolate would be enjoyable, easily tipping this decadent dessert into a dish that is cloyingly sweet and overpowering, but somehow, it only gets better.
A swap of cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies for graham crackers allows the star of the show, chocolate, to truly shine. Thanks to black cocoa powder, these beloved sandwich cookies have an unmistakably rich, deep chocolaty flavor that makes them instantly recognizable. To make the cheesecake even more tempting, espresso powder is added to the filling. Just a teaspoon is all it takes to effortlessly intensify and deepen the taste of the chocolate—in this instance, Dutch process cocoa powder and melted semisweet chocolate—without any lingering hint of coffee in the finished product.
If you’ve ever struggled with a cracked top or a sunken center to your cheesecake, it’s important to understand the nuances of temperature for both the ingredients and the bake. It’s essential that all your ingredients are room temperature—it ensures everything gets properly mixed and incorporated without adding too much air to the batter—and to bake your cake low and slow in a moist environment. A layer of foil and an oven bag create a leakproof seal around the springform pan so the delicate cheesecake heats up gradually and bakes up evenly in a water bath. A quick temperature check with an instant-read thermometer ensures your cheesecake has baked to perfection. Now, all that’s left is to let your cheesecake cool before indulging—we promise it’s worth the wait.
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Chocolate Cheesecake
Makes 1 (9-inch) cakeA combination of a chocolate cookie crust, Dutch process cocoa powder, melted chocolate, and a hint of espresso powder result in an intensely decadent, deeply chocolaty dessert.
Ingredients
Crust:
3cups(375 grams) cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies crumbs (about 26 cookies)
5 to 6tablespoons(70 to 84 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½teaspoon(2 grams) kosher salt
Filling:
3(8-ounce) packages (680 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
1cup(200 grams) granulated sugar
¾cup(180 grams) heavy whipping cream, room temperature
¼cup(21 grams) Dutch process cocoa powder
1½teaspoons(6 grams) vanilla extract
1teaspoon(2 grams) espresso powder
4large eggs (200 grams), room temperature
6ounces(170 grams) 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper. Wrap bottom and sides of pan in a large sheet of heavy-duty foil.
For crust: In a large bowl, whisk together cookie crumbs, 5 tablespoons (70 grams) melted butter, and salt until combined; add remaining 1 tablespoon (14 grams) melted butter if needed to moisten crumbs. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. (Mixture may appear crumbly but should hold together when pressed into pan.)
Bake until crust is fragrant and set, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (170°C), and position oven rack in bottom third of oven.
Place springform pan in a large oven bag, tucking ends so bag is flush with top edge of pan. (If you do not have an oven bag, wrap pan in another large sheet of foil.)
For filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, cream, cocoa, vanilla, and espresso powder, and beat until smooth and no lumps remain, stopping to scrape whisk and bottom and sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition and stopping to scrape bottom and sides of bowl. With mixer on low speed, gradually add melted chocolate, beating until just combined and stopping to scrape bottom and sides of bowl. Spread filling into prepared crust.
Place wrapped springform pan in a large roasting pan. Place roasting pan in oven, and add hot water to roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of springform pan.
Bake until edges are set but center is slightly jiggly and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 150°F (66°C) to 155°F (68°C), 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Carefully remove cheesecake from water bath, and let cool completely in pan on a wire rack, 1½ to 2 hours. (Carefully remove bag and foil once pan is cool enough to handle.)
Refrigerate in pan on a wire rack overnight, loosely covering with foil only when completely cool to prevent condensation from forming on cheesecake.
To serve, run a thin, sharp knife around sides of pan to loosen cheesecake; remove sides of pan. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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