As I have previously told you, my family celebrates a very specific holiday during the winter, Chocolate Day. For those of you who do not know, Chocolate Day is the 26th of December. We sit in pajamas all day while watching movies, playing games, and eating more chocolate than one should ever eat. This year, at Christmas dinner my brother jokingly said that we should have chocolate cheesecake on Chocolate Day. Obviously I jumped at the opportunity to create something delicious while utilizing our nicely redone kitchen! I found this recipe for chocolate cheesecake in Baking: From my Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan. It was a huge hit!!!!!
Ingredients
For the crust:
2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
2 TBS sugar
¼ tsp cinnamon
3 TBS unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
1 ½ lbs (3 – 8oz packages) cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 oz dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 inch springform pan and place it on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Mix the crust ingredients together until all of the dry ingredients are evenly moist. Press the crust ingredients into the pan evenly. Place the pan in the freezer for 10 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes or until it is set and tinged with color.
Cut the cream cheese into quarters and place in a food processor along with the sugar. Mix for about 2 minutes, scrap the bowl. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt, pulse 4-6 times, scrap the bowl. Pour the chocolate into the bowl. Pulse until well blended. Remove the bowl from the processor and rap it on the counter 4 times to de-bubble the batter. Pour the batter into the crust.
Bake for 35 – 40 minutes on the center rack. When complete the top should be puffed and set, but if you tap the pan the center will be slightly shaky. Place the pan on a cooling rack, and allow it to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 3 days.
