I was recently invited to a birthday party where the guests were each to bring a dish to pass for the meal. To make sure we didn't end up with 8 desserts the host had each person pick a course of the meal; appetizer, salad, meat etc. We have since named this a "Foodie Party" For this party I picked dessert. My friend, Katrina, the birthday girl really wanted this as her birthday cake. This is my first time making such a wonderful dessert.
I knew I would need more that one 9 inch cheesecake so I doubled the recipe and made it in a 9x13
What you need:
2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c butter, melted
1/2 c whipping cream
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
3 8oz packages cream cheese
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa
3 eggs
1 Tbl vanilla
Make it:
1. In a food processor crush the graham cracker in to crumbs. If you don't have a food processor take a ziploc freezer bag, put some of the crackers in the bag, seal it up and crush with a rolling pin. Pour into a 9-inch cheesecake pan with removable rim; add butter and mix. Press mixture over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Bake in a 350 oven until crust looks dry, about 10 minutes.
2. I a 1 or 2 qt pan, bring 1/4 cup cream to a boil. Remove from heat, add 2 ounces chocolate, and stir until smooth. You'll have a nice chocolate sauce.
3. In a large bowl, with a mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate sauce mixture and vanilla; beat until blended. Scrape into crust; spread level.
4. Bake cheesecake in a 325 regular or 300 convection oven until center jiggles only slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. cool for 1 hour.
5. In a small pan, bring remaining 1/4 c cream to a boil. remove from heat, add remaining 4 ounces chocolate, and stir until smooth. Pour over cake and spread level. cover and chill at least 8 hours or up to 1 day.
6. Run a knife between cake and pan rim; remove rim. Cut cake into wedges.
