Monday, September 24, 2012

New York City Chocolate Cheesecake


New York City Chocolate Cheesecake
Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Chocolate Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 2006 ed.), pg. 104.

This is a very rich dessert but oh, so good! I took Maida's advice and added whipped cream and cherries to offset the richness. You can also use strawberries or other fruit. The cookie crust is made from chocolate wafer cookies and I made these myself. If you don't have time to make the wafers, you can always buy cookies at the store or even use chocolate graham crackers. 

This is a great treat to serve at a party or get-together. I ate a big slice of this last night while I was watching the Emmy Awards. I can tell you right now that this is a dessert I will be making again!

Note: A reader informs me that their cake sank as it was cooling. I didn't have this problem but she suggested letting it cool for several hours inside the oven.)



Crust

8 oz. chocolate wafer cookies (store-bought or make your own)
3 oz. (3/4 stick sweet butter, melted

Adjust rack one-third up from the bottom and preheat oven to 375. Butter the sides only of a 9x3 inch springform pan.

Place the wafer cookies in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
Process until the cookies become fine crumbs and transfer them to a mixing bowl.
Pour the melted butter into the crumbs.
Use a fork to stir the butter with the crumbs.
Pour about two-thirds of the crumbs into the pan and tilting it at a 45-degree angle, form a layer of crumbs around the edge of the pan with your fingertips.
Use the remainder of the crumbs for the bottom of the pan. Press gently but firmly.

Filling

12 oz. semisweet chocolate (2 cups morsels or 12 squares, coarsely chopped)
24 oz. (3 8-oz. packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs (large or extra-large)
1 cup sour cream


Place chocolate in a double boiler and melt over low heat (barely simmering water). Set aside to cool slightly.
Cream the cream cheese until it is very smooth.
Add the vanilla.
Add the salt.
Add the sugar and mix well.
Add the chocolate.
Mix well, scraping sides of the bowl as necessary, until the mixture is smooth.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well.
Add the sour cream.
Pour the mixture into the crumb crust. Smooth the top with a spatula or turn the bowl briskly back and forth.
Ready for the oven - bake for one hour.
After baking, allow to cool completely on a rack. Then cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cheesecake from the pan right before serving (or earlier). Before unclasping the pan, run a sharp knife around the sides. Release the pan. If you want to remove it from the bottom pan, use a thin, wide spatula and carefully slide it under the crust and rotate it all the way around. The cake is firm and easy to transfer. Refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.

8 comments:

Rosedale Garden said...

Wonder if the sugar can be cut back a little? Sounds sinful.

Cyndia said...

Please tell me how you don't weigh 300 lbs! That may be the best recipe yet, and I think Steven will get this in lieu of a birthday cake!

Unknown said...

Followed every step, but between baking for an hour and cooling on a rack, I ended up with a horribly sunken, bowl shaped cheesecake. I had to go read other recipes and tips to see that I should have let this slowly cool in the oven for several (5 hours). Sad cheesecake.

Phillip Oliver said...

Hi Sarah, sorry to hear this. I went back and read the recipe again and she doesn't say anything about letting it sit in the oven. I'll add a note to my post and offer that suggestion. Thanks!

Unknown said...

I simply love this chocolate cheesecake recipe and have made it for years. I am now in England and am wondering if I can get a metric version of the recipe. Thank you.

Phillip Oliver said...

Hi Kathy, I do not have that but perhaps someone seeing this can provide it.

Unknown said...

I found this recipe over 30 years ago and it's a family favorite. If I use chocolate chips, I take a small handful and sprinkle on the top before baking, as a garnish.
To avoid sinking, I pile up a little more in the center.

Anonymous said...

This is lovely, just as it is.
Too much sugar? How much sugar do you think is in a chocolate layer cake? Plus the sugar in the icing.
Convert the recipe to metric? Do the math (there are plenty of conversion charts in the world), or use "American" measuring cups.
My, my - try thinking......