Dark Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
As you can
see, there are no cherries on this version of the cake. We wanted to do something
fun and a bit lighter in honor of Valentine’s Day so instead of topping
the finished cake with cherry pie filling, we used fresh berries instead. It’s
delicious either way. Happy Valentine’s Day!
After testing a dozen recipes for cheesecake using low-fat dairy products, I
was disappointed over and over again with the less than satisfactory flavors
and textures. Nothing tastes as good as the real thing so I got out fresh eggs,
real cream cheese and semi-sweet chocolate and made this delicious chocolate
cherry cheesecake I know you’ll enjoy.
It’s definitely not spa-cheesecake but if you mind your portion and don’t
skip your workout, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy a lovely slice
of this outrageously delicious Dark Chocolate Cheesecake without having to pay
the pound pal piper.
Most cheesecakes are made in nine and ten-inch cheesecake pans and call for
double the amount of fat and sugar I use here. I reduced the ingredients and
the pan size. This way you can enjoy a smaller portion and less calories. Send
leftovers to your neighbors or to the office so you won’t be tempted to
eat slices of cheesecake until it’s gone.
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients
|
|
| For the crust: | |
| 1 1/4 | cups fine crumbs, graham cracker or chocolate wafer cookies |
| 2 | Tablespoons sugar |
| 3 | Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted |
| 1 | Tablespoon water |
|
|
| For the filling: | |
| 8 | oz. semisweet chocolate chips |
| 1/4 | cup brewed espresso or strong coffee |
| 3/4 | pound cream cheese, softened |
| 3/4 | cup sugar |
| 1/2 | teaspoon salt |
| 2 | eggs |
| 1 | teaspoon vanilla |
| 3/4 | cup cherry pie filling |
| Optional: Whipped dairy topping to garnish | |
 |
Preheat
oven to 350° |
|
Make
the crust In a medium mixing bowl, combine crumbs and 2 Tablespoons sugar. Stir until combined. Add melted butter and water; mix until completely incorporated. Pour crumb mixture into 8" spring form pan. Using fingertips, press evenly onto pan bottom and 1/2" up sides. Bake 12-15 minutes until crust hardens slightly. Set aside to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300. Place a 9-inch cake pan filled with water on bottom oven rack (this will add moisture to the oven, the cake will be creamy and dense, not dried out). |
|
Prepare
the filling |
|
In
a mixing bowl beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Add 3/4 cup sugar and salt. Beat on medium speed one minute. Scrape down
sides and add eggs one at a time, beating on medium for 30 seconds and scraping
down the sides of the bowl between each addition. Add melted chocolate mixture
to the bowl, scrape down the sides once more and beat on medium one minute.
Pour batter into crust. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until internal temperature
is 170. Turn oven off, let cake stand in oven for 20 minutes more. Remove
from oven, cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack. Refrigerate 1 hour. Freeze
one hour. Cut into twelve slices topping each slice with one tablespoon
cherry pie filling just before serving. Alternatively, after cheesecake
refrigerates for one hour, pour entire can of cherry pie filling over cake
and refrigerate two hours more or until cake and topping are set. |