Dark Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

This is a family recipe that was given to me by my aunt. This chocolate cheesecake is virtually fail-proof even for the beginner baker. I have made two of them so far and they come out looking beautiful and tasting great. As long as you can follow directions yours can come out perfect too.

A great thing about this recipe is that you can substitute any kind of chocolate for the dark chocolate chips or even mix your favorites. Some ideas have been white chocolate, semisweet chocolate and coffee flavored. Once you have mastered the basic recipe you can add your own touch of flavors to make your own unique cheesecake that everyone will love.

The Crust

· 1- 9 inch spring form pan

· 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs

· 1 cube of salted butter

The Filling

· 4- 8 ounce packages of cream cheese

· 1/2 cup brown sugar

· 1/4 cup sour cream

· 2 tablespoons of flour

· 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

· 4 eggs

· 12 ounces of dark chocolate chips

The Crust

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter and spread evenly across the bottom and first inch up the side of your greased spring form pan. Make sure the crumbs are evenly moist and firmly pressed across the pan.

The Filling

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Combine the cream cheese, sour cream and brown sugar in a bowl and beat the mixture until it is light and fluffy. Add the flour, vanilla, and eggs (one at a time beating on low for 10-15 seconds each). Melt your chocolate chips in the microwave or on the stove burner until completely smooth. Mix the chocolate into the bowl on low until it is evenly blended. Pour the filling into the spring form pan and place in the oven.

Baking

Bake your cheesecake at 300 degrees for one hour, turn the oven off and leave the cake in for an additional hour.

* It is important not to open the oven door while cooking unless you absolutely have to. Doing so will often create cracks in your cheesecake that ruin the appearance of the finished product. Happy baking!