Double Chocolate Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 22 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 52 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup chocolate wafer, finely crushed
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 (250 g) packages cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 ounces baker's chocolate baking squares, melted and cooled
• 2 ounces baker's semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 2 tablespoons raspberry schnapps (optional)
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 2 ounces baker's semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 ounces baker's semi-sweet chocolate, melted
• rose extract, leaves washed and dried

Recipe

• 1 crust: mix together chocolate wafer crumbs and butter.
• 2 press into the bottom of a 9-inch round springform cake pan.
• 3 bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.
• 4 let cool.
• 5 cheesecake: preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• 6 beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
• 7 add the eggs and beat just until smooth.
• 8 beat in vanilla.
• 9 divide the batter evenly into two portions.
• 10 to one portion, stir in the melted chocolate.
• 11 to the other portion, stir in the melted semisweet chocolate and the schnapps (if using).
• 12 pour dark chocolate batter into cake pan.
• 13 smooth the top with a spatula.
• 14 top with the chocolate batter.
• 15 bake in the preheated oven 425 degrees for 10 minutes.
• 16 lower the temperature to 250 degrees.
• 17 bake a further 30 to 35 minutes or just until the centre of the cheesecake is firm to the touch.
• 18 let cool completely before icing.
• 19 ganache: one to two hours before serving time, in a small saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate with the cream.
• 20 stir until smooth.
• 21 pour over the cake.
• 22 with the help of a spatula, cover the sides and top of the cake with the ganache.
• 23 decorate with the garnish (see below).
• 24 keep the cake refrigerated until serving time.
• 25 garnish: paint melted chocolate on the undersides of the leaves.
• 26 place in refrigerate for 15 minutes or until chocolate is just set.
• 27 carefully peel off the leaves.
• 28 store in refrigerate until ready to use.
• 29 note: alternatively, you can use pieces of and dark chocolate, as garnish instead of the chocolate leaves.