#2603 - Coconut Chocolate Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 2 cups crushed Nilla wafers; 1 cup Baker's angelflake coconut (toasted); 1/2 cup chopped walnuts; 1/4 cup white sugar; 3 TBSP Hershey's cocoa; 1/3 cup butter (melted)

Batter: 4 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 1 cup white sugar; 4 tsp. cornstarch; 4 eggs; 1/3 cup whipping cream; 3 tsp. vanilla; 1 1/2 cups Nestle's mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Topping: 3 squares Baker's semi-sweet baking chocolate; 1 TBSP butter (melted); 1 cup Domino's powdered sugar; 1/4 cup whipping cream; extra coconut and chopped walnuts if you wish

Crust: toast 1 cup of the coconut according to bag directions--cool. In a bowl add crushed Nilla wafers, toasted coconut, chopped walnuts, 1/4 cup white sugar, cocoa and 1/3 cup butter (melted)--stir until mixed. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1" up the sides of a greased 10" springform cheesecake pan. Refrigerate the crust for 20 minutes. Batter: in a mixer add cream cheese--beat. In a small bowl add 1 cup white sugar and the cornstarch--stir until mixed. Add cornstarch mixture to the cream cheese--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add 1/3 cup whipping cream and vanilla--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add mini chocolate bits--stir until mixed. Pour batter into the chilled crust. Place the cheesecake pan on to a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until almost set. Cool completely. Topping: melt the Baker's chocolate according to box directions. In a mixer add melted chocolate, 1 TBSP butter (melted) and powdered sugar--beat. Add 1/4 cup whipping cream--beat until spreadable. Spread the mixture over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Sprinkle extra coconut and chopped walnuts over the top if you wish. Refrigerate overnight.