Ingredients:
CRUST
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sifted unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
FILLING
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into bits
1/4 cup water
24 ounces cream cheese, slightly softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs |
Instructions:
1. To make the crust, mix the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in the bowl
of a food processor and whirl until creamy. Add the cocoa and
process until you have a dark, smooth paste. Add the flour and
pulse just until incorporated but still crumbly.
2. Firmly pat three-fourths of the mixture into the bottom of an 8-inch
springform pan or cheesecake pan with a removable bottom. With a
fork toss and spread the remaining one fourth crumbly dough
loosely in a shallow baking pan. Place both the bottom crust and the
pan of extra dough in a preheated 350-degree oven. Bake for 10
minutes. Remove the baked crumbs. Bake the bottom crust for an
additional 5 minutes. Let crust and crumbs cool completely on a rack.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
3. Pulverize the cooled crumbs. Store in an airtight container until
needed.
4. To make the filling, melt the chocolate with the water in a double
boiler, stirring occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
Or, microwave on medium for 1 minute. Stir until smooth and keep
warm.
5. Place the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on
medium speed, gradually adding the sugar, until completely smooth.
Add the vanilla and the eggs, one by one, beating only until well
mixed.
6. Measure and set aside 1 cup of the cheesecake filling. Pour the
remaining batter over the baked chocolate crust; set aside.
7. Stir the warm chocolate into the reserved cheesecake batter. Pour the
chocolate batter in a thick ring, about ? inch in from the side of the
pan, on top of the plain batter. Use a soup spoon to marble the
chocolate. Try not to blend the batters together too much. If
necessary, use your finger to wipe the side of the pan clean above
the batter after marbling.
8. Bake in the 325-degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the
cheesecake shows signs of puffing around the edges but is still very
soft in the center. Remove the cake from the oven and run a thin
knife blade carefully around the edges to release the cake from the
side of the pan.
9. Cool in the pan, on a rack, covered with an inverted large mixing
bowl. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, after it is completely
cool. The cake may be made to this point and refrigerated up to 4
days in advance. Unmold the cheesecake. Press reserved cookie
crumbs around the sides of the cake, being careful not to get the
crumbs on top. |