Chocolate Cheesecake

My husband will insist he doesn’t have a sweet tooth, but I don’t have enough fingers to count all of his favorite sweet treats—chief among them is cheesecake. He’s a vanilla kind of guy, but my daughter is all chocolate all the time.

The chocolate cookie base is the perfect crisp foundation for the luscious, creamy chocolate filling. The whole thing is topped with none other than chocolate ganache.

If you have a chocolate lover in your life, this cheesecake is certain to bring a smile to his or her face.

A Cheesecake for Chocolate Lovers Only

This chocolate cheesecake is for those who LOVE chocolate. It’s rich, decadent, and filling. A small slice goes a long way.

Top a slice with freshly quartered strawberries piled high, drizzle with raspberry sauce, dress it with lightly whipped cream to counter the richness of this dessert, or love it as it is.

Cheesecake takes a little time and some planning ahead, but it’s so worth it.

Tips for Making the Best Cheesecake

To help your cheesecake turn out rich, creamy, and crack-free, follow a few simple steps.

• Always beat your cheesecake on low speed. Cheesecakes often crack because too much air is beaten into them by whipping or beating on high. Slow and steady wins the race.
• Use room temperature cream cheese and scrape down the bowl often. Fat (aka cheese) likes to stick to the sides and bottom of the bowl. For a creamy silky cheesecake without lumps, let your cheese sit out for a couple of hours and get comfortable with your spatula during mixing. All this low beating and scraping down the bowl might seem tedious, but this prevents overbeating. (Think of the old adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.")
• Use a water bath. I’m sorry. I hate them as much as you do, but they really do make a huge difference, especially with this cake. I’ve gotten away without a water bath when making a vanilla cheesecake, but not with this one. For the best results take your cheesecake for a swim.
• Wrap with extra-large foil. You need the wide (17- to 18-inch) roll of aluminum foil to wrap a cheesecake so the water doesn’t seep in. The standard kitchen drawer size won’t work.

How to Bake a Cheesecake in a Water Bath

A water bath, also known as a bain-marie, is simply a pan with water in which another pan, dish, or pot is set.

In the case of cheesecake, triple wrap the springform pan in foil, add the cheesecake filling, and set the cake in the center of a roasting pan. If you don’t have a roasting pan, a large, wide-bottomed Dutch oven may also work.

Fill the roasting pan with water halfway up the side of the springform pan. Place the whole shebang in the oven.

How to Tell When Cheesecake Is Done

Cheesecake is basically a custard. It likes slow, even cooking, and time. All ovens are different so it’s best to peek in on your cheesecake every now and then to make sure baking is going according to plan. Your cake is done when it looks smooth across the top and has a slight jiggle but doesn't slosh in the center.

Tips for Making the Best Ganache

Ganache is the chocolate equivalent of a day spa. It’s all luxury and excess. The best part is it’s way less expensive than a spa, and you don’t have to drive anywhere to eat it!

Most ganache recipes, including this one, call for heating the cream and pouring it over chopped chocolate, then letting it rest for a few minutes before stirring. The goal is a smooth ganache without bubbles or unmelted chocolate bits. I also add a little corn syrup. It helps provide a glossy sheen, but it's optional. It’s simple to make perfect ganache, just follow these steps.

• Chop your chocolate into small pieces so they are more likely to melt completely.
• Use a spatula to stir it together, and do your best not to lift the spatula out of the chocolate too often. Lifting the spatula out of the ganache while stirring can add air bubbles which could show up when you pour the ganache.
• Leave the ganache on the counter to cool while the cheesecake cools, then transfer them both to the fridge.
• Pour it over the top of the cheesecake so it drips down a little on the sides just before serving. You will need to heat it gently in the microwave before doing this. Go ahead and zap it for 15 seconds. Give it a stir and pour it over the cooled cake.

Ways to Use up Leftover Ganache

You probably won’t use all of the ganache for this recipe. Leftover ganache has many uses.

• Before warming it to pour over the cake, divide it in half. Warm some to pour over the cake and use the rest to pipe rosettes on top.
• Scoop cooled ganache into little balls, and roll it in cocoa powder to make truffles.
• Freeze ganache balls. During the winter months, heat a pot of milk and add the ganache balls to make the most luxurious hot chocolate.

How to Dress up This Cake

If a dripping ganache finish isn’t one step short of perfection for you, go ahead and bring on extra decadence!

• Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate curls and place them in a ring on top of the cake
• Top with sliced fresh fruit like strawberries, raspberries, or cherries
• Make candied nuts, crush them, and sprinkle them on top
• Top with candied orange peels

How Long Does Cheesecake Last?

I find that the crust begins to weep after about day three. It’s still fine to eat, but maybe not to serve to company. Unless that company is your best friend, and she shows up to your door wearing sweatpants and holding coffee. In that case, your best friend is perfect, and she doesn’t care about weeping crust, and neither should you. Eat or freeze within 5 days.

Can You Freeze Cheesecake?

You absolutely can freeze cheesecake. I prefer to freeze it whole, but you can freeze individual slices, and enjoy them as needed.

Looking for More Cheesecake Recipes? We Have You Covered!

• Perfect Cheesecake
• No-bake Cheesecake
• Lemon Cheesecake
• Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Cheesecake
• Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars