Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake

[songbird]

Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake




Prep Time:

40 mins

Bake Time:

1 hrs 20 mins

Cool Time:

2 hrs 40 mins

Chill Time:

9 hrs



Ingredients

Crust:



cooking spray

1 (9 ounce) box chocolate wafer cookies (such as Nabisco® Famous Chocolate Wafers)

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoons granulated sugar



Cheesecake:



1 cup chopped fresh strawberries



5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened



½ cup granulated sugar



3 tablespoons all-purpose flour



5 large eggs



2 large egg yolks



2 teaspoons vanilla extract



1 teaspoon lemon zest



1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice



2 drops pink gel food coloring



Chocolate Ganache:



1 cup heavy whipping cream



1 (4 ounce) bar semisweet chocolate, finely chopped



1 (4 ounce) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped



10 whole and halved strawberries, for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Wrap outside of a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 9-inch springform pan with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.



Stir together cookies, melted butter, and granulated sugar in a bowl. Press onto bottom and 1-inch up sides of prepared pan.



Bake in the preheated oven until crust is set, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely, 30 minutes.


Preheat the oven again to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).



Process chopped strawberries in a food processor until completely smooth, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Set strawberry puree aside.



Beat cream cheese with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually add sugar and flour, beating until smooth, about 1 minute. Add whole eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed just until blended after each addition (do not overbeat). Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.


Beat in reserved strawberry puree, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice on low speed just until combined. Gently stir in food coloring gel until desired shade is reached.


Pour batter into the prepared pan (pan will be full). Place cheesecake in a large roasting pan. Place roasting pan with cheesecake in preheated oven and pour very hot water into roasting pan half-way up sides of cheesecake.


Bake in the preheated oven until center is almost set but still wobbly, 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn oven off, and let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes.



Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Cover with aluminum foil; chill 8 to 24 hours.



Prepare Chocolate Ganache Topping: Bring cream to a light simmer in a small saucepan over medium. Place chopped chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Pour hot cream over chocolate in bowl and let stand 1 minute. Whisk chocolate mixture until completely smooth. Let mixture cool until very slightly warm, whisking occasionally, about 20 minutes.



Assemble Cheesecake: Dip a few whole strawberries in ganache and chill until ready to top cheesecake. Remove sides of pan from cheesecake and place on a serving platter. Slowly pour ganache over top of cheesecake, spreading to edges with a small offset spatula. Chill for 1 hour.


Top cheesecake with whole and halved strawberries and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

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