Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 crushed chocolate cream sandwich cookies (about 24 cookies)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
Cheesecake
- 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (55% cocoa mass)
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
Topping
- 1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons Imperial Sugar Confectioners Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- Chocolate curls, for decorating
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix chocolate cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar together. Press into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake crust for five minutes until set. Set aside to cool while making cheesecake.
- Prepare cheesecake: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine milk and chocolate and heat in microwave 20-30 seconds at a time, stirring each time, whisk until mixture is completely smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla using an electric mixer until smooth, scraping sides of bowl as needed.
- Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition until just mixed. Don’t overmix.
- Mix in melted chocolate until combined. Pour cheesecake batter over crust and spread evenly.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until center is almost set. The center will still jiggle while edges will be set.
- Turn oven off and crack oven door to allow cheesecake to cool slowly for 10 minutes, then remove cheesecake and carefully run a sharp knife around rim of pan to loosen cake.
- Allow cheesecake to cool at room temperature for at least an hour, then cover and refrigerate for six hours or overnight.
- Decoration: Release sides of springform pan. Top chilled cheesecake with cherry pie filling, mounding cherries toward center.
- In a medium bowl, combine cream, sugar, and vanilla and beat using an electric mixer until thick, but still soft. Transfer to a piping bag with a decorative tip. Pipe swirls around border of cheesecake.
- If desired, make chocolate shavings or curls by placing a chocolate bar in a warm place (~78°F) for about one hour. Or alternatively, heat chocolate bar in a microwave oven for 1-2 seconds. Using a vegetable peeler shave chocolate bar into curls or shavings and place on cheesecake just before serving.
- Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Imperial Sugar Insight
Recipe developed for Imperial Sugar by Amy Nash @houseofnasheats.