Everyday Baking, Cooking, and Crafts

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

First, this is just a luxurious, silky, creamy, decadent dessert. A chocoholic's dream come true!
Secondly, I don't know why this is called a cake? It has no typical cake properties, except the eggs. This is a sweetened cheese custard that is very time consuming to prepare, BUT the reward is nearly heavenly.

Every time I make a cheesecake for my family and friends, they come running for a slice. They know that this is a piece of heaven on earth...and they want their portion. Sadly, to make this decadent dessert will take two days, therefore, patience is a virtue.

Once you take your first bite of the chocolate heaven, you'll be hooked, and stopping is nearly impossible. I call this recipe triple chocolate because there are three different chocolate layers. The bottom layer is a dark chocolate cookie crust. The second layer is the silky chocolate cheesecake and the topper is fudgy chocolate ganache.

I know this will become an all time favorite dessert for you!

Supplies Needed:
Large, 10 inch springform baking pan
Heavy duty stand mixer with large mixing bowl and paddle attachment
Mini food processor or a zipper style plastic bag and rolling pin (something to crush the cookies)
Scraping spatula
Measuring spoons
Measuring cups - for dry ingredients
Medium glass microwaveable bowl
A casserole dish for holding 4 cups of water - this is for adding moisture to the oven while the cheesecake bakes.
Cooling wire rack
Timer
Hot pads to protect your hands from the hot pans.
Plastic wrap
Wooden spoon or additional spatula (for stirring chocolate chips)


Ingredients for Bottom Crust Layer:

• 1 package of Keebler Fudge Stripe Chocolate cookies (DO NOT use any chocolate cookies that have chocolate chips or a cream filling)
• 3 Tablespoons of melted butter (salted butter is what I use)

Ingredients for the Cheesecake filling

• 4, 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened to room temperature (I used 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
• 2 cups sour cream - room temperature (I used light sour cream...I don't recommend using fat free)
• 4 large whole eggs (discard the shells) You'd be surprised how many people ask about the shells...really! 
• 1 cup white granulated sugar (normal table sugar)
• 1, 12 oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Ingredients for Top Ganache Layer

• 1, 12 oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (do not substitute with any other milk!)

Directions for Crust - bottom layer

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C)
2. Crush all the cookies to a coarse sandy texture.
3. Open the lid and add in the room temperature butter and process about 15 seconds to fully incorporate the butter.
4. Put the springform pan together and close the latch. Pour and press the cookie/butter crumble to the bottom of the pan.
5. Place the pan in the oven for 7 minutes. Remove and let it cool while the filling is being made.

  Directions for Cheesecake Filling

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C)
2. Place the 4 cups of water into the casserole dish and place on the lowermost rack in the oven. This will stay in the oven during the entire baking process to add moisture to the cheesecake.
3. 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 creamy smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl.
4. Add in the two cups of sour cream and mix well until smooth and creamy. Again, scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl with the rubber spatula.
5. Add in the one cup of sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract. Mix until creamy again. Scrape the bowl.
6. Add in the contents of the four eggs, one at a time. Mix in between each addition. At first the batter will look plastic, but then will become yellowish in color and creamy.
7. Now, in a separate microwavable bowl, pour in the contents of one package of chocolate chips (reserve the second package of chocolate chips for the top ganache layer). Heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Remove and stir the chips until they are all melted. Re-microwave for an additional 20 seconds if necessary, but do not overheat or it will ruin the chocolate and become grainy.
8. Turn on the mixer to a low speed. Slowly pour the MELTED chocolate chips into the cheesecake batter and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl well and mix additionally.
9. Pour the chocolate cheesecake batter over the cookie crust in the springform pan. Gently smooth the top.
10. Bake for about 50 - 55 minutes or until firm  (NOTE: the center of the cheesecake will look a little wet and wobbly). 
11. Remove the cheesecake from oven and carefully place on the cooling wire rack.
    NOTE: DO NOT remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Allow the cheesecake to stay in the springform pan for 12 hours before removing.
12. Insert a knife or spatula at the inside edge of pan an gently go around the outer edge to loosen the cheesecake (This will prevent the surface from cracking as it cools). 
13. Let the cheesecake cool, on the wire rack until it comes to room temperature, about 2 hours.
14. Cover with some plastic wrap and refrigerate for an additional hour before adding the top layer with the ganache.
15. After an hour in the refrigerator, remove and cover with the final layer of chocolate ganache.

Directions for Top Ganache Layer

1. Clean, rinse, and dry the microwavable bowl that was used to melt the chocolate chips for the cheesecake. BE SURE TO DRY COMPLETELY!
2. Add in the 2/3 cup of whipping cream and butter. Place in the microwave, High power, for 90 seconds (1.5 minutes)
3. CAREFULLY remove the bowl from the microwave and pour in the last, entire package of chocolate chips. DO NOT STIR...just let this sit for about a minute.
4. Gently stir the chocolate chips until all the chips have completely melted.
5. Remove the cooling cheesecake from the oven and remove the plastic covering. 
6. CAREFULLY pour the melted chocolate ganache over the top of the cheesecake. Smooth the top. 
7. Cover, without touching the chocolate topping and place back into the refrigerator for 8 - 12 hours.

HOW TO SLICE & SERVE:

• When completely cooled, wet with water a very thin, sharp knife and then slice the cheesecake. This is very rich cheesecake so a small slice is super. 
• Be sure to clean and re-wet the knife before cutting each slice! 
• Garnish the plate with chocolate syrup or fruit puree'.