Description
This Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake is a rich and decadent dessert combining silky cream cheese with bittersweet chocolate in a cocoa-infused graham cracker crust. Topped with a luscious semi-sweet chocolate ganache and chocolate curls, it’s a perfect indulgence for chocolate lovers.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup graham crackers (crushed)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup baking cocoa
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Cheesecake Filling
- 12 oz bittersweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli brand preferred)
- 24 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons baking cocoa powder (Ghirardelli)
- 5 large eggs
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Ganache Topping
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar (for ganache + shavings)
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
Garnish
- Reddi-Wip (for garnish)
- Chocolate syrup (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 325℉ and gather all equipment and ingredients to have everything ready at hand.
- Prepare the Crust: Crush the graham crackers by placing them in a freezer bag and rolling with a pin until finely crushed. Melt butter in microwave for 20-30 seconds.
- Mix Crust Ingredients: In a small bowl, combine crushed graham crackers, granulated sugar, and baking cocoa powder. Add melted butter and mix thoroughly.
- Form Crust: Press the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan to form the crust.
- Melt Chocolate for Filling: Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water and bring to boil over medium heat. Place bittersweet chocolate chips in the top section until melted, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: In a food processor, pulse softened cream cheese until smooth. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and baking cocoa powder; pulse until combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla extract to the mixture. Mix until just combined. Add the melted bittersweet chocolate and pulse to blend thoroughly.
- Assemble Cheesecake: Scrape the filling from the processor bowl with a rubber spatula and pour evenly into prepared crust.
- Bake Cheesecake: Place the springform pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 75-80 minutes until the center is set but slightly jiggly. The cheesecake will firm up as it cools.
- Cool Cheesecake: Run a knife around the edges to loosen the cake, then cool completely on a wire rack in the pan. After cooling, cover loosely and refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Prepare Ganache Topping: Heat heavy cream and melted butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 60-90 seconds. Add chopped semi-sweet chocolate pieces and let sit 1 minute. Stir slowly until chocolate melts and the ganache is smooth.
- Chill Ganache: Let ganache cool to room temperature to thicken slightly before pouring over chilled cheesecake.
- Decorate: Pour ganache evenly over the cheesecake. Optionally, shave remaining semi-sweet chocolate into curls and sprinkle on top. Let ganache set for about an hour.
- Serve: Slice cheesecake with a sharp thin knife, cleaning the blade between cuts for clean slices. Serve slices garnished with chocolate syrup and Reddi-Wip as desired.
Notes
- Using room temperature cream cheese ensures a smoother filling without lumps.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool fully and refrigerate for several hours to properly set.
- Clean the knife blade with a paper towel between slices for neat serving.
- Ghirardelli brand cocoa and chocolate are recommended for best flavor quality.
- Double boiler melting prevents burning the chocolate for a silky texture.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
