#1507 - Coffee Cheesecake

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate wafer cookies (like Nilla wafers only chocolate); 1/3 cup melted butter; 1/2 TBSP white sugar; extra crushed chocolate wafer cookies for topping

Batter: 2 squares Baker's sweet chocolate; 2 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 4 eggs; 3/4 cup white sugar; 2 tsp. instant coffee granules (3 tsp. if you want more coffee flavor); 1/4 tsp. salt

Butter the sides and bottom of a springform cheesecake pan. In a bowl add melted butter, crushed cookies and 1/2 TBSP white sugar--stir. Press the cookie mixture just on the bottom of the buttered cheesecake pan. Melt the Baker's chocolate according to box directions. In a mixer add softened cream cheese--beat. Add 3/4 cup white sugar--beat. Add eggs--beat. Add melted chocolate (when chocolate has cooled slightly)--beat. Add instant coffee and salt--beat until smooth. Pour the batter on top of the cookie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until center of cheesecake is almost set. Cool completely. Sprinkle more crushed chocolate wafer cookies on top of the cheesecake if you wish. Refrigerate overnight.

#1244 - Chocolate Cheesecake

(by Aunt Eileen [Knouse] Carter)

Crust: chocolate wafer cookies (enough to make 1 cup when crushed); 1/2 stick butter (melted)
Cake: 3 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened); 1 1/4 cups white sugar; 1 - 8oz. Breakstone's sour cream; 2 tsp. vanilla; 1/2 cup Hershey's cocoa; 2 TBSP flour; 3 eggs
Drizzle: 1/2 cup Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips; 2 tsp. solid Crisco (NO substitutes)

Place chocolate wafer cookies in a Ziploc bag--crush with a rolling pin. Repeat until you have 1 cup crumbs. Place crumbs in a bowl with 1/2 stick butter (melted)--stir. Spray the inside of a 9" springform cake pan with Pam. Press crumb mixture into the bottom (not the sides) of the springform pan. In a mixer add cream cheese--beat. Add white sugar--beat. Add sour cream and vanilla--beat. Add cocoa and flour--beat. Add eggs--beat. Pour batter on top of the crust. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes--reduce heat to 250 degrees (without opening the oven door) and bake for 40 minutes. Cool completely. Remove the side wall of the springform pan carefully. Drizzle: in a microwave safe bowl melt semi-sweet chocolate bits and 2 tsp. Crisco--heat in the microwave on high for 20-30 seconds--stir. Heat longer if not completely melted. Use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate mixture on the top of the cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight.