Ingredients
Chocolate Crust
1 cup graham crackers crushed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/4 cup melted butter
Cheesecake Filling
12 oz bittersweet chocolate chips Ghirardelli brand preferred
24 oz cream cheese room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons baking cocoa powder again, Ghirardelli
5 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Ganache Topping
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar for ganache + shavings
2/3 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter melted
Reddi-Wip for garnishing
chocolate syrup for garnishing
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Gather all your equipment and ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Crust
Prepare graham crackers by placing one sleeve of crackers in a plastic freezer bag. (One sleeve will equal approximately 1 cup of crushed crumbs.) Using a rolling pin, roll over the crackers until finely crushed.
In a glass bowl or measuring cup, heat butter in the microwave for 20-30 seconds until melted.
In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and baking cocoa. Add melted butter and mix to combine. Press firmly onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
Make the Cheesecake
Fill the bottom of a double boiler about 1/3 full with water. Place bittersweet chocolate chips in the top portion of the boiler. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then turn off the heat.
Stir occasionally until chocolate has completely melted. Set aside until ready to use.
Place softened cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth, scraping sides as needed, about 90 seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder to the cream cheese and pulse again until combined and smooth.
Add in the eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, about 20 seconds. Add the melted chocolate and pulse for another 20-30 seconds until the chocolate is thoroughly blended.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape the filling from the bowl and spoon into the prepared crust.
Place the springform pan in the middle of the preheated oven. Bake for 75-80 minutes until the center of the cake is set, but slightly jiggly in the center. The cake will finish setting as it cools.
Run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, cover loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and cool in a refrigerator for 4- 6 hours before removing from pan.
Prepare the Ganache Topping
Place whipping cream and butter in a microwavable bowl and heat for 60-90 seconds until the butter has melted. Break semi-sweet chocolate bar into small pieces and place in the heated cream. Let set for 1 minute. Slowly stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted.
Stir occasionally until the chocolate comes to room temperature.
Pour ganache over the cold cheesecake.
If desired, shred remaining chocolate bar into curls and sprinkle over the top. Let stand until the ganache has set, about an hour.
To serve, slice the cheesecake with a sharp, thin-bladed knife. When slicing the cheesecake, you’ll want to clean the knife blade with a paper towel between each slice to ensure a clean cut.
Place slices on dessert plates that have been garnished with a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Top cheesecake with Reddi-Wip whipping cream as desired. Serves 16-20.
