Double Chocolate Cheesecake With Chocolate Ganache Recipes

CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE WITH GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the crust:
• Place the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until combined. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, chop the bittersweet chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the espresso and stir until just melted. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• To make the filling:
• Cream the cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and almond extracts and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, and the cooled chocolate mixture. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.
• Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door opened wide for 1 1/2 hours. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature, until completely cooled.
• For the ganache:
• Finely chop the semisweet chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Add the cream and stir until just melted. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving. Drizzle the ganache over the top of the cheesecake.

GHIRARDELLI LAYERED CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH GANACHE GLAZE

Steps:

• Prepare the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar in a medium bowl until well blended. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.
• Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on a wire rack, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Prepare the Cheesecake: Beat cream cheese with a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and flour, beating until smooth. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating on low speed just until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• Divide batter into 2 equal portions in separate medium bowls. Pour 1 portion into prepared crust; spread evenly.
• Place Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave on medium (50% power) until melted and smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.
• Stir together coffee liqueur and espresso granules in a small bowl until espresso dissolves; stir mixture into remaining bowl of cheesecake batter. Stir melted bittersweet chocolate into coffee batter until blended.
• Gently pour over plain cheesecake batter in prepared crust, and spread evenly. Pan will be very full. Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake at 325 degrees F until center is almost set but center still jiggles slightly when pan is prodded, 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil and chill 8 to 12 hours. Gently run a knife or offset spatula around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. Remove sides of pan.
• Prepare the Topping: About 1 hour before serving, bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium. Place Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips in a small heatproof bowl; pour cream-syrup mixture over chocolate chips. Let stand 1 minute. Whisk gently until smooth. Cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Pour chocolate mixture over top of cheesecake, and gently spread to edge of crust. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Garnish if desired.

VANILLA BEAN CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap foil securely around pan., In a small bowl, mix cracker crumbs and orange zest; stir in butter. Press onto bottom and 2 in. up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate 5 minutes., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream. Split vanilla bean lengthwise; using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape seeds from the center into cream cheese mixture. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake 60-70 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled., For topping, place chocolate chips in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate chips; stir with a whisk until smooth. Cool to room temperature or until mixture thickens to spreading consistency, about 10 minutes., Remove rim from springform pan. Spread chocolate mixture over cheesecake. Refrigerate 1 hour longer or until set. Top cheesecake with raspberries before serving.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Making the Crust:.
• Before you start, preheat your oven to 300*F.
• Place the 18 cookies in a blender and pulse until finely crushed. Once you have your crumbs, press them all along the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9" springform pan.
• Melt the 12 oz. of semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave, being sure to stir them at 20 second intervals until they are completely smooth and melted. Set this aside for now.
• Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Add in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, beating at medium speed just until they have combined.
• Next, add in the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating at low speed just until combined after each addition.
• Now go find the chocolate you melted and add into your mixing bowl slowly, beating it at low speed until it is just combined.
• Pour this chocolaty mixture into your cookie crumb crust, slide it into your preheated 300 degree oven, and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes.
• If it jiggles a bit, and you can touch the top with your finger and it feels somewhat firm, your cheesecake is done baking. If it is still too jiggly, bake it for about 15 more minutes and then check it again.
• Now, with the cheesecake still in the oven, turn it OFF. Let the cheesecake stay in the oven for 30 minutes, with the door closed.
• Remove your cheesecake to a wire rack and let it cool completely. When it is completely cool, cover and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
• Take your cheesecake out of the fridge and remove the sides of the springform pan. Place your cheesecake on a serving platter if it suits you.
• Pour your 3/4 cup of whipping cream into a saucepan on the stove and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Remove from heat, and stir in the chocolate chips. Keep stirring, and as it comes together, switch to your whisk, stirring until it is completely combined and smooth as silk. Let this cool slightly.
• Now, pour your ganache over the cheesecake and spread out evenly. Return to the refrigerator and refrigerate until it is firm.
• Once it is ready, you can either eat it right out of the refrigerator or let the cheesecake sit out until it is room temp before enjoying.

TRIPLE-CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Assemble a 9-inch springform pan with the raised side of the bottom facing down.
• In a food processor, pulse cookies until finely ground. Add butter, and pulse to moisten. Transfer to prepared pan, and press crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet; bake 10 minutes, and set aside.
• Wipe out bowl and blade of food processor. Add cream cheese, sugar, and salt; blend until smooth. With motor running, add eggs, then sour cream, and finally chocolate; blend filling until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• Wrap bottom half of springform pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Place roasting pan in oven. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform pan. Bake just until set, 1 hour. Turn oven off, and let cheesecake sit 1 hour in oven, without opening (this helps prevent cracking).
• Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan (this helps prevent cracking, too); leave in pan, and cool completely on wire rack. Cover loosely and refrigerate, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
• Prepare Chocolate Ganache. Unmold cheesecake. Spread ganache in center of cheesecake; let set before serving.

DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with double thickness of foil. Spray bottom of pan with vegetable oil spray. Finely grind cookies in processor. Add butter and process until blended. Press mixture onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
• Make filling:
• Combine cream and coffee powder in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until coffee powder dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate; whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool 10 minutes.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in cornstarch. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat well. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Whisk 1 cup cheese mixture into chocolate mixture. Return chocolate mixture to remaining cheese mixture; whisk until smooth.
• Pour batter into crust. Place springform pan in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to cone halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake until softly set and slightly puffed around edges, about 1 hour. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 45 minutes. Transfer springform pan t rack and cool. Cover; chill cake overnight.
• Make glaze:
• Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Pour glaze over top of cake. Using spatula, smooth glaze evenly over top. Refrigerate until glaze is set, at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Using knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Cut into wedges and serve.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan., In a large bowl, combine the wafer crumbs, butter, sugar and espresso powder. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, melted chocolate, cocoa, half-and-half and flour until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in the espresso powder and vanilla. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake at 350° until center is just set and top appears dull, 60-70 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan., In a small saucepan, combine liqueur and half-and-half. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form., Drizzle cheesecake with coffee syrup; garnish with whipped cream, chocolate and coffee beans.

3D CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan., In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in cooled chocolate and cocoa. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of boiling water to larger pan. , Bake 55-60 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes; loosen edges from pan with a knife. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. , For ganache, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, bring cream and sugar just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool to reach a spreading consistency, stirring occasionally., Remove rim from pan. Spread ganache over cheesecake to within 1 in. of edge. Refrigerate 1 hour or until set.