AuthorHeather WallaceCategorycheesecake lOveDifficultyIntermediateA seriously indulgent treat that is well worth the effort to make this baked cheesecake...silky smooth dark chocolate that is like velvet on your tongue and topped off with a peanut butter ganache and chocolate shavings. Do I have you drooling yet?
Cheesecake is a well-known favorite of my husband's and he always asks for it on our anniversary. So this year's recipe is a variation of my Dove Dark Chocolate Cheesecake but with darker chocolate and I changed up the ganache.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and wrap the outside of the pan in a double layer of foil covering the underside and extending all the way to the top. This protects the cheesecake from water leaking in with the water bath.
Place 1 cup of chocolate graham crackers (about 1 packet) and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. While the machine is running, drizzle in 4 tablespoons of melted butter and continue processing until well-mixed.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the springform pan, making sure to leave a level surface.
Bake 5-7 minutes, until set. Let the crust cool while you make the filling.
Melt 10 ounces of Dove Deeper Dark chocolate in a double boiler. I don’t have a double broiler so I just put a little water in a saucepan and placed a glass bowl over top and simmered the water…be careful that the water doesn’t touch the bowl.
Once the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and allow to cool until it is lukewarm but still liquid, set aside.
While the chocolate cools, beat 4 bricks of softened cream cheese in a blender, add 1 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, and process until blended.
Add 4 room temperature eggs, one at a time, processing thoroughly between each one. It’s important to have your cream cheese and eggs at room temperature to ensure that you don’t get any lumps.
While the blender is running, drizzle in the lukewarm chocolate and continue blending until creamy and all lumps are gone.
Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top.
Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top.
Place the cheesecake into a large roasting pan, jelly roll pan, or deep sheet pan, and pour hot water into the roasting pan to a depth about halfway up the outside of the springform pan.
Carefully transfer to the preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes, until the center is lightly set and looks dry. The center should still jiggle slightly like jello. Alternately you could fill the roasting pan with hot water on the rack in the oven pulled slightly out to lessen any spills.
Turn the oven off and run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to make sure it doesn't stick to the pan as it cools. Leave oven cracked and cool for an hour.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for one hour, then refrigerate for at least six to eight hours but is best chilled overnight. Do not remove the ring of the springform pan while chilling.
Before serving, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for one hour.
After you have chilled the cheesecake you can make the ganache.
Heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream to just boiling, pour overtop 5 ounces of white chocolate, and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Whisk until smooth.
Add 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter and whisk again.
Cool slightly, and then pour the ganache over the cheesecake, spreading it to the edge of the top, allowing it to drip down the sides.
Lastly, top with chopped shaved dark chocolate for garnish. You can slightly soften a bar of chocolate by microwaving it for 15 seconds and use a vegetable peeler to shave it onto the cheesecake.
Chill for one hour, until the topping is set.
Before serving, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for one hour.
Any leftover ganache that you don't use on the top you can smear onto your serving plates as decoration and a little bit of extra PB flavor!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and wrap the outside of the pan in a double layer of foil covering the underside and extending all the way to the top. This protects the cheesecake from water leaking in with the water bath.
Place 1 cup of chocolate graham crackers (about 1 packet) and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. While the machine is running, drizzle in 4 tablespoons of melted butter and continue processing until well-mixed.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the springform pan, making sure to leave a level surface.
Bake 5-7 minutes, until set. Let the crust cool while you make the filling.
Melt 10 ounces of Dove Deeper Dark chocolate in a double boiler. I don’t have a double broiler so I just put a little water in a saucepan and placed a glass bowl over top and simmered the water…be careful that the water doesn’t touch the bowl.
Once the chocolate is melted, remove from heat and allow to cool until it is lukewarm but still liquid, set aside.
While the chocolate cools, beat 4 bricks of softened cream cheese in a blender, add 1 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of cocoa powder, and process until blended.
Add 4 room temperature eggs, one at a time, processing thoroughly between each one. It’s important to have your cream cheese and eggs at room temperature to ensure that you don’t get any lumps.
While the blender is running, drizzle in the lukewarm chocolate and continue blending until creamy and all lumps are gone.
Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top.
Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top.
Place the cheesecake into a large roasting pan, jelly roll pan, or deep sheet pan, and pour hot water into the roasting pan to a depth about halfway up the outside of the springform pan.
Carefully transfer to the preheated oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 55-60 minutes, until the center is lightly set and looks dry. The center should still jiggle slightly like jello. Alternately you could fill the roasting pan with hot water on the rack in the oven pulled slightly out to lessen any spills.
Turn the oven off and run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to make sure it doesn't stick to the pan as it cools. Leave oven cracked and cool for an hour.
Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for one hour, then refrigerate for at least six to eight hours but is best chilled overnight. Do not remove the ring of the springform pan while chilling.
Before serving, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for one hour.
After you have chilled the cheesecake you can make the ganache.
Heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream to just boiling, pour overtop 5 ounces of white chocolate, and 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Whisk until smooth.
Add 2 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter and whisk again.
Cool slightly, and then pour the ganache over the cheesecake, spreading it to the edge of the top, allowing it to drip down the sides.
Lastly, top with chopped shaved dark chocolate for garnish. You can slightly soften a bar of chocolate by microwaving it for 15 seconds and use a vegetable peeler to shave it onto the cheesecake.
Chill for one hour, until the topping is set.
Before serving, allow the cake to sit at room temperature for one hour.
Any leftover ganache that you don't use on the top you can smear onto your serving plates as decoration and a little bit of extra PB flavor!