Description
This luxurious chocolate cheesecake features a crisp wafer crust, a dense and velvety bittersweet chocolate filling, and a silky ganache topping. Using a precise water bath method ensures a perfectly smooth texture and a crack-free finish for a truly professional dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 24 ounces full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped and melted
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (for ganache)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature (for ganache)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the exterior tightly in three layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- Combine chocolate wafer crumbs and melted butter; press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool completely.
- Melt the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water; set aside to stay fluid.
- In a food processor, pulse the room-temperature cream cheese until smooth. Add sugars and cocoa powder, pulsing to combine.
- Add the eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream, pulsing just until incorporated. Fold in the melted chocolate and vanilla by hand until the batter is uniform.
- Pour the batter over the cooled crust. Place the springform pan inside a large roasting pan and fill the roasting pan with boiling water halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
- Bake for 70 minutes or until the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble.
- Remove from the water bath, discard the foil, and run a thin knife around the edge. Cool at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
- For the ganache, pour simmering heavy cream over the semi-sweet chocolate. Let sit for one minute, whisk until smooth, and stir in the room-temperature butter.
- Pour the ganache over the chilled cheesecake and let set for 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
To ensure a perfectly smooth emulsion, ensure every single dairy ingredient is at true room temperature before mixing. When slicing, use a hot, clean knife for each cut to maintain the sharp professional layers of the ganache and filling. Using heavy-duty foil is essential to prevent water from seeping into the crust during the long water bath bake.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American