Stacy Lyn’s Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake with Silky Ganache
I have no idea why chocolate and romance seem to go together, but I could definitely fall in love with a dessert like this! This is my Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake with Silky Ganache, a perfect treat to share with your special someone on Valentine’s Day. The smooth, rich ganache combines so well with the creamy chocolate cheesecake filling and crunchy Oreo crust—it’s an exciting medley of textures! Drizzle some white chocolate over the top for a beautiful garnish effect—remember this is a special treat for the one you love!
Chocolate. Cheesecake.
I really could just stop writing with those two words. Chocolate and Cheesecake are my two earliest loves. It stands to reason that every Valentine’s Day, the holiday of love, I make a Chocolate Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache.
My earliest memories of my love affair with chocolate begin with gymnastics. I know! What do Chocolate Cheesecake and gymnastics have to do with each other? I was an only child with a mom who needed me to be involved in some kind of physical activity, preferably strenuous. I believe she said that I was diagnosed hyper-active. Seriously, I think I still have a touch of it—at least my mom says I do.
During gymnastics meets, our coach would only allow us to eat Hershey’s Chocolate Bars and M&M’s. We couldn’t be weighed down with real food until after the meet. I loved this rule, even though it turned me into a chocaholic!
I’ve always loved cheesecake—any kind of cheesecake. The first cheesecake I ever made was for Scott on Valentine’s Day when I was in college. I got the recipe from the Calling All Cooks Cookbook. It’s still one of my favorite recipes today. I never had to worry about cracks in my cheesecake because it had the most amazing topping of sour cream and sugar, which I have to say sounds terrible, but is absolutely a delicious topping for a classic cheesecake.
Tips for the Perfect Cheesecake Every Time
- Always use room temperature ingredients, from the eggs to the creme cheese.
- Slowly mix the batter, and be sure not to over-mix after you introduce your eggs to the batter.
- Remove the cheesecake when the center is still jiggly. It won’t look done, but it will be if the center is still jiggly.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for a few hours after removing from the oven. Cooling slowly will ensure a light, airy result in your cheesecake.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to five days. Wrap with plastic wrap to keep the cheesecake from picking up any odors.
Freezing Cheesecake
This cheesecake freezes beautifully. Skip the toppings if you are going to freeze the cheesecake. Allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature and place in the freezer uncovered for one hour. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer and the pan, then place it on a freezer-safe plate, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to six months.
Thaw cheesecake for two days in the refrigerator before serving. On the day of serving, prepare the toppings.
Stacy Lyn's Ultimate Chocolate Cheesecake
The smooth, rich ganache combines so well with the creamy chocolate cheesecake filling and crunchy Oreo crust.
Ingredients
For the Oreo Crust
- 22 Oreo cookies
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
For the Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate coarsely chopped
- 4 ounces milk chocolate coarsely chopped
- 3 packes full-fat cream cheese (24 ounces) softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
- 3 tablespoons butter room temperature
For the White Chocolate Drizzle topping
- 8 ounces white chocolate finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Milk Chocolate Shavings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Wrap a 9-inch springform pan heavily with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Coat the pan with non-stick cooking spray.
For the Oreo Crust
- In a food processor, whiz Oreos until fine crumbs result, then add melted butter and pulse until combined. Add the crumbs to the pan and press crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides about an inch. Bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
For the Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. In a medium saucepan halfway filled with water, place a bowl that will fill the pan but not touch the water. Place the semi-sweet and milk chocolate in the bowl on top of the saucepan. Bring the water to a boil. When the water reaches a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Don’t walk away from this step; the chocolate can burn quickly. Stir the chocolate as it melts with a silicone spatula. Remove the saucepan with the bowl still over the top from the heat once the chocolate is completely melted.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add room temperature cream cheese and sour cream and mix until smooth. Add sugars, cocoa powder, eggs, and egg yolks one at the time and blend after each egg addition. Try not to over-mix the batter.
- Add vanilla to the chocolate mixture and stir well. Stir the chocolate into the filling mixture until well combined.
- Pour the batter into prepared crust in the springform pan, then place the springform pan in a roasting pan. Pour hot water that comes up about 1 1/2 inches around the pan. Place in the 325 degrees F oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes. The middle of the cheesecake should be jiggly, but as it cools it will set. Remove the pan from the oven and to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Loosen the foil and take the tip of a knife around the sides of the pan. This will keep the cheesecake from cracking. Once the cake has cooled, place it in a refrigerator leaving it in the pan for at least 6 to 8 hours.
For the Chocolate Ganache
- In a medium bowl, add chopped chocolate and coffee granules.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, bring cream to a simmer. Add half of the cream to the chocolate and whisk until incorporated. Slowly add the remaining cream and whisk until well incorporated. Add a tablespoon of butter at the time and whisk until combined. Add the salt and mix.
- Remove cheesecake from refrigerator and remove cheesecake from the springform pan onto serving dish or cake stand. Pour ganache over the cheesecake. Place cheesecake back into the refrigerator for an hour while you make the white chocolate drizzle.
For the White Chocolate Drizzle
- In a medium saucepan half filled with water, place a bowl that will fill the pan but not touch the water. Place the white chocolate in the bowl on top of the saucepan. Bring the water to a boil and immediately reduce to simmer. With a silicone spatula, gently stir until melted. Once melted, remove the saucepan and bowl off the heat.
- Remove the refrigerated cheesecake and ganache and drizzle white chocolate over the top.
- With a vegetable peeler or very sharp knife, thinly shave milk chocolate curls and place over the top of the cheesecake.
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