As I pondered what type of confection to create for this Valentine’s Day, visions of all kinds of delicacies popped in and out of my head. All I knew for sure is my new sweet ending just had to feature my favorite treat- dark chocolate and CHEESECAKE! To me, a cheesecake is just so heavenly tasting, especially if made with the freshest and cleanest of ingredients.
Those that know me well, rarely see me eating sweets. However, I promise I do have my moments!
And if I do choose to engage in what I call “conscious treating,” it will likely be with a bitty slice of a divine cheesecake like this one, something devilishly delicious like my Dark Chocolate Oblivion Torte or NY-Style Cheesecake topped with Dark Chocolate Ganache.
Got chocoholics in your life? Look HERE for these and more of my favorite Valentine’s treats.
Planning a special Valentine’s dinner? My entire Valentine’s Recipe Collection can be found HERE. And one of my favorite Valentine’s Dinner Menus can be found HERE.
After an almost lifelong quest to lose a significant amount of weight (which I have kept off for years) I have come to firmly believe successful maintenance of a clean-eating lifestyle depends on making reasonable food choices-most days. So when certain celebrations such as Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries and parties occur or when I just feel like having a special sweet treat, I believe it is a-okay to consider a small “splurge” as long as I promise to speedily return to my healthy eating ways! So I enjoy my rich, creamy and chocolaty indulgence without remorse!
Disclaimer: all opinions are mine alone and consist of what I have found works for me. If you are following a prescribed diet, please consult your medical professional before partaking in indulgent desserts such as these.
Dark Chocolate Fantasy Cheesecake
Recipe Adapted from: Creamy NY-Style Cheesecake by Meal Planning Maven
Yield: 12 to 16 servings
Click HERE for the complete recipe, but in the nutshell, here is what you do:
Instructions
Prepare the Pan
Tightly wrap bottom and sides of pan with foil to prevent any potential leakage of batter.
Make the Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together all crust ingredients with a fork until crumbly.
Using the back of a measuring cup, press crumbs firmly and evenly onto bottom of pan and about 2 inches up sides.
Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove to a rack; let cool.
Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
Make the Filling
In an electric mixer bowl set on medium speed, beat cream cheese for 4 minutes or until smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining. Gradually add coconut palm sugar (or cane sugar), vanilla and salt, beating until well combined.
Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, scraping bowl after each addition.
On medium-low speed, beat in melted chocolate, just until well blended
Blend in whipping cream and sour cream, scraping down sides of bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
Pour filling into prepared crust. With a spatula, smooth top.
Baking, Cooling and Chilling
Carefully pour boiling water into roasting pan, filling about half-way. Place on bottom rack of oven. (The steam will provide a most environment which helps to prevent the cheesecake from cracking.)
Place cheesecake on rack above roasting pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until firm to the touch and center is still a bit “jiggly.” (Surface of cheesecake may also look a little wet and be lightly browned. This is okay .)
Turn off oven. With door partly open, allow cheesecake to remain in the in oven for 1 hour to slowly cool. (prevents cracking) Transfer to rack to finish cooling.
Cover top of cheesecake pan with foil; refrigerate (with springform ring on for support) for at least 8 hours or until completely chilled, preferably overnight.
Optional Sour Cream Topping (shown in photograph)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together topping ingredients. When cheesecake has completely cooled, spread sour cream mixture on top of cheesecake.
Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until topping is almost set. Cool cheesecake completely on rack. Topping will completely congeal as cheesecake cools. Refrigerate as directed above.
Assembly and Serving
Remove springform ring. (If desired, carefully remove pan bottom from cheesecake with a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss using a “sawing” motion.
Place cheesecake on a decorative plate. If desired, decorate top of cheesecake with shaved or grated dark chocolate.
Serve cheesecake or refrigerate for later. (For easier slicing, remove cheesecake from refrigerator about 20 minutes prior to serving.)
Cut cheesecake into slices. If desired, serve with fresh berries .
Dark Chocolate Fantasy Cheesecake
Recipe Adapted from: Creamy NY-Style Cheesecakeby Meal Planning Maven
Yield: 12 to 16 servings
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 3/4 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (I used Horizon Chocolate Snack Grahams)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- Pinch salt
Filling
- Boiling water
- Roasting pan
- 32 ounces cream cheese room temperature, cut into chunks
- 1 cup coconut palm sugar or granulated cane sugar see MPM-Mini-Bites
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 4 large eggs
- 12 ounces good quality dark chocolate melted and cooled (I used Ghirardelli’s 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips -see MPM Mini-Bites for melting tips)
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Optional Sour Cream Topping (shown in photograph)
- 2 cups sour cream
- 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar or granulated cane sugar coconut palm sugar will make the topping a light caramel color
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Optional Garnish
- Shaved or grated dark chocolate about 1 ounce
- Fresh berries
Instructions
Make the Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together all crust ingredients with a fork until crumbly.
- Using the back of a measuring cup, press crumbs firmly and evenly onto bottom of pan and about 2 inches up sides.
- Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove to a rack; let cool.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
Make the Filling:
- In an electric mixer bowl set on medium speed, beat cream cheese for 4 minutes or until smooth and creamy with no lumps remaining.
- Gradually add coconut palm sugar (or cane sugar), vanilla and salt, beating until well combined.
- Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, scraping bowl after each addition.
- On medium-low speed, beat in melted chocolate, just until well blended.
- Blend in whipping cream and sour cream, scraping down sides of bowl to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.
- Pour filling into prepared crust. With a spatula, smooth top.
Baking, Cooling and Chilling
- Carefully pour boiling water into roasting pan, filling about half-way. Place on bottom rack of oven. (The steam will provide a most environment which helps to prevent the cheesecake from cracking.)
- Place cheesecake on rack above roasting pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until firm to the touch and center is still a bit “jiggly.” (Surface of cheesecake may also look a little wet and be lightly browned. This is okay.)
- Turn off oven. With door partly open, allow cheesecake to remain in the in oven for 1 hour to slowly cool. (prevents cracking) Transfer to rack to finish cooling.
- Cover top of cheesecake pan with foil; refrigerate (with springform ring on for support) for at least 8 hours or until completely chilled, preferably overnight.
Optional Sour Cream Topping (shown in photograph)
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together topping ingredients.
- When cheesecake has completely cooled, spread sour cream mixture on top of cheesecake.
- Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until topping is almost set. Cool cheesecake completely on rack. (Topping will completely congeal as cheesecake cools.)
- Refrigerate as directed above.
Assembly and Serving
- Remove springform ring. (If desired, carefully remove pan bottom from cheesecake with a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss using a “sawing” motion.
- Place cheesecake on a decorative plate. If desired, garnish with shaved chocolate.
- Serve cheesecake or refrigerate for later. (For easier slicing, remove cheesecake from refrigerator about 20 minutes prior to serving.)
- Cut cheesecake into slices. If desired, serve with fresh berries.
Notes
Notes:
Definitely indulgent! As this cheesecake is very rich, small slices will definitely satisfy. Perfect alone or just served with just a simple accompaniment of berries and/or freshly whipped cream.
Need a gluten-free crust alternative? Kinnikinnick’s gluten-free S’Moreables Graham Style Crackers or Graham Style Crumbs are absolutely delicious! Both are available in natural food stores such as Whole Foods or online.>
Coconut palm sugar: for more information about this healthier sweetening alternative LOOK HERE If you prefer not to use coconut palm sugar, you can use an equal amount of cane sugar.
Melting chocolate: bring a 2-quart pot of water to a simmer. Place chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set over pot. Stir until smooth. Remove bowl, set aside to cool.
Are you a springform pan newbie? Look for a sturdy pan with a tight clasp. There are several good ones on the market today. I recently purchased one by Caphalon which I really like. Springform pans are available at stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond and cooking specialty stores such as Sur la table and Williams Sonoma as well as online.
More Chocolate Indulgences for Your Sweeties
Coming to the Blog: Your Perfect Comfort Food-Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore
Happy Valentine’s Day!
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Linda Shapiro, Meal Planning Maven
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