Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 24 chocolate wafer cookies (from one 9-ounce package)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 9 2/3 ounces bar scharffen berger 70% cocoa bittersweet chocolate
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, plus
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably scharffen berger)
• 4 large eggs
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 6 ounces scharffen berger 70% cocoa bittersweet chocolate
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• bittersweet chocolate curls

Recipe

• 1 for crust:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f
• 3 butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides.
• 4 blend cookies in processor until finely ground; blend in sugar.
• 5 add melted butter and process until well blended.
• 6 press crumbs evenly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan.
• 7 bake just until set, about 5 minutes.
• 8 cool while preparing filling.
• 9 maintain oven temperature.
• 10 for filling:.
• 11 stir chopped chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth.
• 12 remove bowl from over water; cool chocolate until lukewarm but still pourable.
• 13 blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder in processor until smooth.
• 14 blend in eggs 1 at a time.
• 15 mix in lukewarm chocolate.
• 16 pour filling over crust; smooth top.
• 17 bake until center is just set and just appears dry, about 1 hour.
• 18 cool 5 minutes.
• 19 run knife around sides of cake to loosen. chill overnight.
• 20 for topping:.
• 21 stir cream, 6 ounces chocolate, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth.
• 22 cool slightly.
• 23 pour over center of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edge and filling any cracks.
• 24 chill until topping is set, about 1 hour.
• 25 do ahead: can be made 3 days ahead.
• 26 cover with foil and keep refrigerated.
• 27 release pan sides.
• 28 transfer cheesecake to platter.
• 29 top with chocolate curls.
• 30 let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.
• 31 ***cook time does not include chilling overnight and the 2 hours cheesecake needs to sit at room temperature before serving.