Double Chocolate Cheesecake with Espresso Chocolate Cracker Crust

Satisfy your chocolate sweet tooth with this extra creamy and delicious Double Chocolate Cheesecake with Espresso Chocolate Cracker Crust. If you’re a chocolate lover, you need this in your life, and I’ll show you how to make it!

If you’re apprehensive or intimidated at the thought of making a delicious, restaurant quality, chocolate cheesecake I hope you’ll stick with me and let me show you just how easy it is to make this Double Chocolate Cheesecake with Espresso Chocolate Cracker Crust. I promise this is completely painless, and anyone can do it!

Welcome back to my second recipe post celebrating #Chocotoberfest 2016. #Choctoberfest is an awesome annual food blogger event where your favorite food bloggers (70 to be exact), come together to celebrate all things chocolate, share our best recipes, and even throw in a sweet giveaway! To learn more about the GIVEAWAY, and for your chance to ENTER to WIN the FABULOUS PRIZE PACKAGE (made possible by our generous sponsors), please visit my previous #Choctoberfest recipe post found HERE for my Deliciously Easy White Chocolate Ghost Pops.  While you’re at it, why not follow Allison from The PinterTest Kitchen on pinterest? Without her, none of this #choctoberfest deliciousness would be happening. Thanks so much, Allison!!

But now, back to this rich and delicious Double Chocolate Cheesecake with Espresso Chocolate Cracker Crust recipe with a full photo instruction tutorial, for those of you who are visual learners, like me. 🙂

To be successful at making a traditional New York-style cheesecake, it’s imperative that you use a springform pan. What’s that you ask? Well, it’s a pan that has sides you can remove after the cheesecake is fully baked, and set. The pan side has a clip that works with a spring (hence the name) making it easily removable. The base of the pan, however, stays with the cake during serving. *NOTE – Watch for my special tip and trick (shown below in the photo tutorial) to keep your cheesecake from sliding around on your serving plate, due to the base of the pan being part of the equation. If you look closely you can see it in the following photo.

Are you ready to learn how to make this Double Chocolate Cheesecake with Espresso Chocolate Crust Cake? Great! Let’s begin!

Place 1½ sleeves of chocolate graham crackers in a food processor along with espresso powder and sugar. Pulse to form crumbs.

Add melted butter to the processor and pulse to form a “wet sand” consistency. Add the crumbs to a springform pan (that has been prepared with baking spray), and firmly press the crumbs to form an even layer. *Note – A flat-bottom measuring cup works well for this. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust in a preheated 350-degree oven for 7-10 minutes.

While the crust is baking, cut or break 4 ounces of high-quality bittersweet chocolate into small pieces. Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe dish and microwave on low power (stirring often), until melted. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer), add 4 bricks (8 ounces, each) of room temperature softened cream cheese and sugar.

Add cocoa powder to the bowl and blend until creamy. Add four eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition. Add the melted chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and stir well to combine.

When the cream cheese mixture is thoroughly stirred, pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared springform pan with the pre-baked crust. Smooth the cheesecake mixture evenly and bake the cheesecake (on the baking sheet) in a preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until the center of the cheesecake is set and no longer looks wet. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Once cooled, remove the sides of the springform pan by unlatching the buckle and gently lift off the sides. The cheesecake is now ready to be transferred to the serving plate. *Note – To keep the cheesecake from sliding around on the serving platter, wet a paper towel, squeeze out the excess water, and fold the towel a few times so the paper towel won’t be seen once the cheesecake is set on the plate. Once the cheesecake is completely cool, make the white chocolate ganache by placing room temperature white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the white chocolate chips on low power (stirring frequently) until melted. This will only take seconds so don’t walk away.

Gently warm a little heavy cream in the microwave for a few seconds to take the chill off and then whisk the heavy cream into the melted white chocolate until smooth and creamy. Pour the white chocolate ganache over the top of the chocolate cheesecake and allow the white chocolate to drizzle over the sides. Top the cheesecake with colored sprinkles, or dark chocolate shavings (not pictured), if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*Note – Cheesecake is best served at room temperature. Remove it from the refrigerator at least one hour before serving.

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Double Chocolate Cheesecake with Espresso Chocolate Cracker Crust

Satisfy your chocolate sweet tooth with this extra creamy and delicious Double Chocolate Cheesecake with Espresso Chocolate Cracker Crust. If you’re a chocolate lover, you need this in your life!

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 1 cake

Author: Renee – Kudos Kitchen

Ingredients

• For the crust:
• 1½ sleeves of chocolate graham crackers
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder optional, but recommended
• 6 tablespoons butter melted
• For the filling:
• 1 bar 4 ounces high quality buttersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
• 4 packages 8 ounces, each cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1¼ cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• For the white chocolate ganache:
• 1¼ cups white chocolate chips at room temperature
• 1½ tablespoons heavy cream warmed slightly
• sprinkles or chocolate shavings for garnish if desired

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare a springform pan by spraying with baking spray.
• To make the crust:
• Pulse the graham crackers, sugar and espresso powder in a food processor to form fine crumbs.
• Add the melted butter and pulse again to form the consistence of “wet sand”
• Add the crumbs to the springform pan and flatten the crumbs into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust in a preheated oven for 7-10 minutes. Prepare the filling while the crust bakes.
• To make the filling:
• Place the bittersweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on low power (stirring frequently) until melted and smooth. Set aside
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl with a hand mixer, blend the softened cream cheese, sugar, cocoa powder and salt until creamy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition.
• Add the melted chocolate and stir until well combined.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture into the springform pan (with baked crust, and on baking sheet), and smooth the cream cheese mixture evenly.
• Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until the middle of the cheese cake is set and no longer looks wet.
• Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes.
• Undo the buckle on the springform pan and carefully remove the sides of the pan from the cake. Cool the cake completely before plating, and adding the white chocolate ganache.
• To make the white chocolate ganache:
• In a microwave safe bowl, melt the white chocolate chips on low power, stirring frequently.
• Add the warmed heavy cream to the melted white chocolate and whisk until smooth and creamy.
• Pour the white chocolate ganache evenly over top of the cooled cheesecake and allow some to drizzle over the sides, if desired.
• Garnish the top of the cheesecake with sprinkles of your choice, or chocolate shavings (if desired)

Notes

*NOTE – When plating the cheesecake, wet, squeeze, and fold a paper towel and place it on the serving platter before adding the cake to keep it from sliding.

*Cheesecake is best served at room temperature. Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

The following Amazon.com items are some suggested products I’ve chosen that will aid you in the making of this recipe for Double Chocolate Cheesecake with Espresso Chocolate Cracker Crust, if needed. By clicking on the item, you’ll be taken directly to Amazon.com if you’re interested in purchasing any of these products. You are in no way required to do so, and you will not be charged in any way unless you decide to purchase a product through Amazon.

Now that we’ve baked cheesecake, it’s time to get back to more about #Choctoberfest. By clicking on the photo links below, you’ll be taken to as many of the fantastical chocolaty inspired recipes that your heart can handle. You’re welcome!

Before you go, as you know I like to do, please allow me a moment to coordinate this recipe for Double Chocolate Cheesecake with Espresso Chocolate Cracker Crust with one of my hand painted items. It took me a while to determine what item worked best with this recipe but after a bit of deliberation, I’ve come up with this one. It’s my Baking Therapy hand painted apron. I think it’s a pretty good fit (one size fits all, actually. LOL) expect for the fact that there’s no chocolate in the design. Oh well, next time. *wink*

All of my hand painted aprons are machine washable, and dryable. They’re a high quality 65/35 cotton and polyester blend. Each apron has an adjustable neck strap, extra long ties, and two large front pockets. I paint all my fabrics with high quality fabric paint, and then heat set the design for durability. If there is ever anything I can paint for you, from fabrics (aprons, tea towels, and book bags) or glassware items, please don’t hesitate to contact me or visit my shops on Etsy and Wazala. I always welcome custom orders, and will happily paint and design from any photo, idea, or description you send my way.

Kudos Kitchen by Renée ~ Where food, art, and fun collide each and every day!

Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!