Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

Here is an easy dessert that you could make this weekend for your Valentine.  It's easy and decadent.  Serve it with strawberries and raspberries and maybe some hot fudge sauce.  It's a great recipe find that turns out beautifully. Sweets for your sweet!

Dark Chocolate Cheesecake
Adapted from Bon Appetit, Oct. 2006
About 12 servings

Crust:
24 chocolate wafer cookies (from a 9 oz pkg)-- I use-*Mi-Del*
1 T sugar
¼ cup butter, melted

Filling:
1 9.7oz Scharffen Berger 70% Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
4 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
1 ¼ cups+2 T sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, good quality
4 large eggs

Whipped cream and chocolate curls for topping
Strawberries and raspberries for garnish


Preheat oven to 350 F.  Butter a 9” springform pan with 3” high sides.

Blend cookies a food processor until finely ground.  Add sugar and melted butter until well-blended. Press evenly into the bottom of the springform pan.  Bake just until set, about 5 minutes.  Cool while you make the filling.  Leave the oven at 350 F.

Melt chopped chocolate over a double boiler.  Let cool a bit until lukewarm, but still pourable.  Blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder in food processor.  Add eggs one at a time.  Fold in lukewarm chocolate and then pour the filling over the cooled crust; smooth top.

Bake until center is set and appears dry, about an hour.  Let cool 5 minutes.  Run knife around edge to loosen.  Cover and chill overnight. 

To serve, transfer to a platter and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.  Top with whipped cream and chocolate curls to serve.