Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

3/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 egg yolks
5 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese
5 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate squares
whipping cream, whipped for garnish (optional)
chocolate shavings for garnish (optional)

In a small bowl, with your mixer at low speed, beat the butter, flour, sugar and 1 egg yolk until well mixed into a dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Press 1/3 of the dough into the bottom of a 10 inch spring form pan. Reserve the remaining dough in the refrigerator. Bake the bottom crust for 8 minutes, then cool it.

Turn the oven down to 475°F.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in a small pot over boiling water so the chocolate won't burn.

In a large bowl with the mixer at medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Reduce speed to low, gradually beat in 1 3/4 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, the melted chocolate and the rest of the ingredients, except cream, until it is all blended together. Beat at high speed for 5 minutes.

Press the reserved dough around the side of the spring form pan to within 1 inch of the top. Do not bake at this point. Pour the cheese mixture into the pan and bake for 12 minutes. Turn the oven down to 300°F and bake for another 50 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 30 minutes. Cool it in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes.

Refrigerate, covered until ready to serve. Looks wonderful garnished with whipped cream, and chocolate shavings.

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• If you don't want crust on the side of the cheesecake, just put it on the bottom and save the rest of the dough for another use.

• You can use milk chocolate if you prefer, but be warned that the chocolate taste will be much, much milder. Mixed with the cream cheese and other ingredients, the semi sweet does work best.