I have started digging out my holiday recipes and this recipe along with the lemon version of this same recipe is one my SIL always requests that I bring to the yearly Halloween party. It’s a bit more trouble than a plain cheesecake but OMG is it ever worth the trouble.
Luscious Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake
Chocolate Crumb Crust
1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (about 45 wafers)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup melted butter
Cheesecake batter
1-cup sour cream
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature
1-cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tablespoons vanilla
4 eggs, room temperature; beaten
Chocolate Curd
1/2 cup Cocoa
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4-cup cold water
6 large very fresh egg yolks (older eggs will not set up properly)
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter-chopped
Preparation: You will need to put a collar on the pan because this cheesecake will rise above the rim of the pan but it will settle back down into the pan as it cools.
Make Crust and Cool Completely.
Combine ingredients and press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan; I use the bottom of a flat glass to tamp the crust down. Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes. (Bake at 300°F for 10 minutes if using dark nonstick springform pan.)
Make Chocolate Curd and Cool Completely.
Combine the cocoa and the boiling water; whisk until smooth, stir in the cold water. Put the egg yolks, chocolate mixture and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Use medium heat and stir with whisk constantly. Once the mixture has heated up (make sure that it’s hot because if you start adding the butter before it’s hot, it doesn’t set up as well) add the butter a couple of pieces at a time. As the previous pieces melt, add 2 more. Once all the butter has been added, continue to whisk and cook for 15 minutes, or until set. Transfer to the fridge and cool completely stirring often to keep the curd smooth and creamy in texture.
Make Cheesecake Batter
Mix sour cream, cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Mix in beaten eggs just until well blended. Remove 1-1/3 cups of the cheesecake batter and stir it into the chocolate curd.
Spoon half the batter over prepared crust. Spoon half of the chocolate curd in dollops into pan. Repeat, ending with chocolate curd. With metal spatula or knife, cut through batters to marble.
BAKE at 325°F for 1 hour 20 minutes; remove from oven to cooling rack. Cheesecake will still be very loose but it is done, do not try to bake it until it is firm. (Bake at 300°F for 1 hour 20 minutes if using dark nonstick springform pan.) Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
