Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust

• crushed chocolate wafer cookies (about 1 1/2 – 2 cups)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Filling

• 9.7-ounces 70% cocoa bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 large eggs

Topping

• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 6 ounces ~70% cocoa bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• bittersweet chocolate curls

For crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Pulverize cookies until finely ground; add sugar. Add melted butter and mix until well blended. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Bake just until set, about 5 minutes. Cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:

Stir chopped chocolate in a double-boiler until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water; cool chocolate until lukewarm but still pourable. Blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder in until smooth. Blend in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in lukewarm chocolate. Pour filling over crust; smooth top. Bake until center is the only part that looks wet, about 1 hour. Cool 5 minutes. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Chill overnight.

For topping:

Stir cream, 6 ounces chocolate, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over center of cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edge and filling any cracks. Chill until topping is set, about 1 hour.

Release pan sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Top with chocolate curls. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.