Chocolate Cheesecake

This originally was a Southern Living recipe that I altered slightly. I have made it many times over the years. I have never had chocolate cheesecake as amazing as this.

Chocolate Cheesecake

1/2 pkg Keebler Simply Sandies cookies
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp butter
3/4 cup butter
4 oz Ghirardelli semisweet baking chocolate
1 cup Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate morsels
1 (8oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (3oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup cream of coconut (optional - it is still great without it)
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Crush cookies into fine crumbs in a food processor. Stir in sugar and 3 tbsp butter. Press into bottom of a greased 9" springform pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300.

Combine 3/4 cup butter and chocolate and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Allow to cool slightly.

Beat cream cheese until creamy. Add 1/2 cup sugar and beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, until blended. Stir in cooled chocolate and cream of coconut. Pour over crust and bake at 300 for about 40-50 minutes, or until barely set. Cover and chill for 8 hours.

With chilled beaters in a chilled bowl, beat whipping cream until foamy. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff.

Remove sides of springform pan. Top with whipped cream. Chill at least 1 hour.


Combine ingredients for crust:

Press into a springform pan:

Beat cream cheese and chocolate mixture :

Pour over crust. I always cover the outside of my springform pan with foil to prevent the butter from leaking into the oven:

Serve with fresh fruit. It will leave you speechless.