Classic New York Cheesecake

Classic Cheesecake with a Chocolate Flair

Take the Classic New York Cheesecake and add a chocolate crust with a chocolate ganache. Decadent and mouthwatering. Best cheesecake I’ve ever tasted.

Cheesecake with Chocolate ganache (1).jp

Crust

2 cups chocolate wafer cookies, crushed

4 tablespoons butter

Cake

4 8-ounce bars cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Chocolate Ganache for topping

4 ounces semi sweet chocolate

1/2 cup heavy cream

suggestions

1. Chocolate Cheese Cake: Add 8 ounces semi sweet chocolate to cake recipe.

2. Traditional non-chocolate graham cracker crust: Use 18 individual or 1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers plus 2 tablespoons sugar in place of the chocolate wafers.

3. Sugar Free: Use sugar free chocolate wafers. Substitute 1/2 cup Stevia in place of sugar in cake.

4. For a non-chocolate cheesecake: Use graham cracker crust and omit chocolate ganache. After cheese cake is baked, mix 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 cups sour cream and spread over baked cake.

Preheat oven to 325.
Crush chocolate wafers by hand or in food processor. Add butter and mix until moistened.
Press chocolate mixture into bottom of 9” spring form pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
Wipe out food processor. Add cream cheese, sugar and salt. Blend until smooth. With motor running, add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla, blending until smooth. You may also mix by hand.
Wrap bottom of spring form pan in aluminum foil. Pour in filling and place in pan with sides, such as a roasting pan. Place in oven. Carefully pour in boiling water around outside of pan so that it comes up halfway on sides of spring form pan. Bake until set for 1 hour.
Turn oven off and let cake sit for an additional hour without opening the oven door.
Run a thin knife around edge of pan, leave in pan let cool completely on wire rack Cover loosely and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Ganache: Bring heavy cream to a boil over chocolate. Cool but needs to be in liquid state to spread over cheesecake.
Unmold cheesecake and place on plate. Spread ganache in center of cheesecake. Let set before serving.

Adapted from Martha Stewart.