Double Chocolate Cheesecake

Every other Wednesday, friends come over for dinner to catch up on things – work, family, etc. I usually prepare a nice themed dinner spread and yesterday was no exception. It was a simple Spaghetti & Meatballs dinner, complete with bruschetta, an Italian salad, and garlic bread. However dessert was provided by my friend Rick. He’s quite a baker and I could get used to his desserts for future dinner parties! For our dinner, he prepared his ‘famous’ Double Chocolate Cheesecake and wow, talk about a perfect sweet ending to our meal!…

If you’re looking for a decadent and chocolate dessert, look no further. This Double Chocolate Cheesecake is heavenly and I have no shame admitting that I had a small slice with breakfast this morning! Rich, creamy, smooth chocolate cheesecake is nestled into a delicious chocolate cookie crumb crust… it’s so simple, it’s practically foolproof. The key to this recipe is the use of both unsweetened and semi-sweetened chocolate in the filling. Together, it creates a not too sweet cheesecake filling that’s just perfect. Top with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and add some fresh berries if you’d like too.

Crust:
1 Pack of chocolate graham crackers, processed into crumbs
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/3 of a cup of butter, melted
Cheesecake:
4 packages (8 oz each) of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
4 eggs
3 (1oz) squares semisweet bakers chocolate (melted and cooled)
3 (1oz) squares unsweetened bakers chocolate (melted and cooled)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust: Mix the crust ingredients together and press into bottom of springform pan; set aside.

For the cheesecake: Mix cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs and continue mixing. Add melted chocolate until fully incorporated. Pour mixture over the prepared crust and smooth out top with a spatula.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 55 minutes or until center of cake is almost set. Loosen the cake from rim of springform pan – Do not remove rim of pan until cool. Refrigerate the cheesecake for one day or overnight before serving. Garnish with fresh whipped cream if desired.