This cheesecake is silky and creamy with a rich chocolate flavor. When you slice it looks so cool. The students at Clinton High School did a fabulous job creating and eating this dessert.
Serves 12-16
Ingredients:
Crust:
8 ounces chocolate graham crackers or cookies, crushed
1â„2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Filling:
24 ounce cream cheese, softened to room temperature
4 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cup sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
For the crust: Spray a 9 inch spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray. Seal the outside of the pan with foil. Put the crumbs and sugar in a small bowl and pour in the butter and stir to combine. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom of the pan.
For the filling: Beat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually add 1 ¼ cups of the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, and slowly stir in flour and beat until smooth.
Whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining sugar and whip until firm peaks. Fold egg whites into the cheese batter.
Combine the cocoa powder and sugar. Divide the cheese batter in half. To half of the batter add the cocoa powder mixture and beat to combine.
To assemble, pour ½ of the plain batter into the spring form pan and spread to cover the crust. Top with ½ of the chocolate batter and gently spread over plain batter. Repeat with remaining plain batter and finish with chocolate batter.
Place the pan into a baking dish that is slightly larger than the spring form pan. Add hot water to dish, enough to cover 1 inch deep. Bake the cheesecake for 50-55 minutes or until set and golden. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours.
To serve: Run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen and carefully remove the pan rim. Dip a knife into hot water to cut through the cake with ease.