This is every chocolate lovers dream. To-die-for, rich & creamy chocolate cheesecake that is taken up a notch with a hint of kahlua then, just to put it over the top, a thick drizzle of more deep dark chocolate. You’ll want to make this ASAP!
¾cupsdark chocolate(I used Ghirardelli Intense Dark)
1 ½Tablespoonsbutter
¼cupheavy cream
2teaspoonsKahlua
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Chocolate Wafer Crust
Place about half a box of chocolate wafers in a large resealable zippered bag and roll over it with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs. Measure out 1-½ cups and mix with softened butter and sugar. Press into the bottom of a springform pan and set aside.
Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
To make cheesecake filling, beat cream cheese until creamy.
In a separate bowl, combine eggs, sugar and salt and mix thoroughly. Add sour cream and blend until smooth.
In a small saucepan or the microwave, melt dark chocolate pieces and butter. Add Kahlua and stir until smooth. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. (If using microwave, melt in 30 second increments, stirring in-between, until melted.)
Pour chocolate into sour cream mixture then add slowly to cream cheese mixture, beating until smooth and creamy.
Pour filling onto prepared crust and place in oven.
Bake 35 minutes, or just until starting to set, then turn oven off. Leave in oven an additional 60 minutes.
Remove from oven, run knife around edges to loosen then let cool 1 hour on wire rack. Loosen outer pan and you can either leave it around cheesecake or remove it. Refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight to set completely.
Chocolate Kahlua Sauce:
Melt dark chocolate, butter and heavy cream in a microwave safe measuring cup in 30 second increments, stirring well after each. Cook until almost all chocolate is melted then stir to melt remaining pieces (should only take 1 or 2 cycles). Add Kahlua, stir, and drizzle over top of refrigerated cake.
Decorate with fruit and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream just prior to serving.
Notes
Tips to make the best dark chocolate cheesecake
The most important step to making your cheesecake mixture creamy is to have the cream cheese at room temperature. Leave it out on the counter at least 1-2 hours. You want it to be soft.
Remember to also have your cream and eggs at room temperature so that they blend better with the other ingredients.
Do not overmix batter. This will cause the cheesecake to rise then fall, pulling away from the sides of the pan and possibly cracking.
DO NOT skip the step of leaving the cheesecake in the turned off oven for one hour. Proper cooling will help ensure that the cheesecake does not crack. (Of course, if it does happen, no problem, as the chocolate Kahlua drizzle will cover up any trace of it.)
Do not overbake as this can also cause the cake to crack. When the cheesecake is done it will have firm sides and be slightly jiggly in the center. Check this through the oven window as you want to turn the oven off and keep the door close without letting out any of the heat.
Do chill your cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours to overnight so that it firms up into the firm, creamy texture it should have.
When melting the chocolate to add to the cheesecake batter, let it cool for at least 5 minutes. This will prevent any of the other ingredients from curdling and help it blend better.