Dark Chocolate Cheesecake - East Coast

Total Time: 3 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

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

Recipe

• 1 for crust:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350 degrees 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. cool while preparing filling.
• 8 maintain oven temperature.
• 9 for filling:.
• 10 stir chopped chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth.
• 11 remove bowl from over water; cool chocolate until lukewarm but still pourable.
• 12 blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder in processor until smooth.
• 13 blend in eggs 1 at a time.
• 14 mix in lukewarm chocolate.
• 15 pour filling over crust; smooth top.
• 16 bake until center is just set and just appears dry, about 1 hour.
• 17 cool 5 minutes.
• 18 run knife around sides of cake to loosen.
• 19 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 make 3 days ahead. cover with foil and keep refrigerated.
• 26 release pan sides.
• 27 transfer cheescake to platter.
• 28 top with chocolate curls.
• 29 let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.