Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Bake Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Relaxed Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Chill Time: 9 hours

Total Time: 13 hours 40 minutes

Servings: 12

 

Ingredients:

Crust:

cooking spray

1 (9 oz.) box chocolate

wafer cookies (such as Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers)

5 tbsp. unsalted butter melted

3 tbsp. granulated sugar

Cheesecake:

1 cup chopped fresh strawberries

5 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

3 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Five large eggs

Two large egg yolks

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

Two drops of pink gel food coloring

Chocolate Ganache:

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 (4 oz.) bar semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 (4 oz.) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Ten whole and halved strawberries for garnish

 

Directions:

Set the oven’s temperature to 325 °F (165 °C). Heavy-duty aluminum foil should be wrapped twice around the outside of a 9-inch springform pan lightly coated with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the cookies, melted butter, and sugar.

Press down on the prepared pan’s bottom and 1-inch-high sides. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes in a preheated oven or until the crust is golden.

Move to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Reset the oven’s temperature to 325°F (165°C). In a food processor, puree the chopped strawberries for about a minute, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary. Separate the strawberry puree.

I used a stand mixer with a paddle attachment beat cream cheese for two to three minutes or until it was creamy. Add sugar and flour gradually while beating for approximately a minute or until smooth.

One at a time, add entire eggs, beating after each addition on low speed just until combined (do not overbeat). Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each addition only until combined.

Blend in the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice on low speed with the reserved strawberry puree. Add food coloring gel and stir until the desired hue is achieved. The batter will fill the prepared pan; pour it all in. In a big roasting pan, place the cheesecake.

Put the roasting pan containing the cheesecake in the preheated oven, and then fill it with boiling water until it reaches the sides of the cheesecake.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, 10 to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the middle is almost set but still jiggling. After turning off the stove, let the cheesecake inside for 15 minutes with the door closed.

After taking the cheesecake out of the oven, carefully run a knife around the outside edge to help it release from the pan’s edges. (Never take the pan’s sides off.) In the pan, cool fully on a wire rack for about two hours. Cool for 8 to 24 hours while covered with aluminum foil.

Construct the chocolate ganache topping: Gently simmer cream in a small pan over medium heat. In a tiny heatproof bowl, add the chopped chocolate.

In a bowl, place the chocolate. Pour the heated cream over it. Blend the chocolate mixture thoroughly. Allow mixture to cool for 20 minutes, whisking regularly, until just warm.

Put the cheesecake together by dipping a few real strawberries in ganache and chilling them until you’re ready to top it.

Cheesecake should be placed on a serving tray when the pan edges are removed. Pour ganache over the cheesecake slowly, spreading it to the edges using a tiny offset spatula. For an hour, chill.

Add whole, chopped, and chocolate-covered strawberries to the cheesecake as garnish.