Black Forest Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, granulated
• 5 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsel
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1 (16 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, divided, juice reserved
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• cherry juice, reserved from maraschinos
• 3 tablespoons semisweet chocolate morsels

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 500 degrees.
• 2 set a roasting pan half full of water on the lower rack.
• 3 grease a 10-inch spring-form pan.
• 4 for crust:.
• 5 melt chocolate morsels and butter in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on high for 1 minute.
• 6 morsels may retain some of their shape.
• 7 if necessary, microwave at additional 10 to 15 second intervals until melted.
• 8 combine water and coffee granules in a very small bowl and stir to dissolve.
• 9 add coffee, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon to chocolate mixture and mix well.
• 10 press in bottom of the spring-form pan and 1 inch up the side of the pan.
• 11 for filling:.
• 12 beat cream cheese in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.
• 13 add sugar, mix well.
• 14 add eggs, one at a time, beat well after each addition.
• 15 amy says not to over-beat the filling after adding the eggs.
• 16 stir in vanilla extract.
• 17 reserve 1/3 cup batter.
• 18 pour remaining batter into prepared crust.
• 19 melt morsels in uncovered microwave-safe bowl on high power for 1 minute, stir if necessary, microwave at additional 10 to 15 second intervals until melted.
• 20 combine water and coffee granules in a very small bowl and stir to dissolve.
• 21 combine melted chocolate, reserved 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture and coffee.
• 22 stir until smooth using wire whisk.
• 23 spread mixture on top of batter.
• 24 sprinkle with 1/2 cup finely chopped cherries.
• 25 gently swirl with a thin knife.
• 26 place cheesecake on baking sheet.
• 27 bake for 10 minutes.
• 28 reduce temperature to 200 degrees and bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out with a creamy coating.
• 29 turn off oven and let cake cool in oven for 1 1/2 hours.
• 30 remove cake from oven.
• 31 cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.
• 32 refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
• 33 for topping:.
• 34 combine cornstarch and reserved cherry juice in small saucepan.
• 35 cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened.
• 36 cool completely.
• 37 stir in remaining cherries.
• 38 remove side of spring-form pan.
• 39 cover top of cheesecake with cherry topping.
• 40 place morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag.
• 41 microwave on high power for 30 seconds: knead.
• 42 microwave at additional 10 to 15 second intervals, kneading until smooth.
• 43 cut small hole in corner of bag.
• 44 squeeze to drizzle over cherry topping.