Chocolate Cheesecake

Lately, MDS and I have been rewatching The Golden Girls. The show holds up amazingly well and I find myself relating to it more and more. I especially like that the ladies turn to cheesecake when they talk over their problems. In searching for Golden Girls cheesecakes, I discovered The Golden Girls Cookbook, featuring cheesecakes and cocktails. On the very first episode, the ladies enjoy a chocolate cheesecake that Rose had purchased because she has a sweet tooth. I can relate. So I adapted this recipe from the cookbook. This chocolate cheesecake is so rich and delicious. While this cheesecake does take some time and effort to make, it is worth it.

The recipe calls for using chocolate cookie crust, but I could not find plain chocolate cookies in a store, so I improvised a chocolate cookie crust that was perfect. Also, the recipe calls for using a water bath, but instead, I just put a pan of water in the oven to help prevent the cheesecake from drying out, but did not use an actual water bath. 

Chocolate Crust 

• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• dash of salt
• 3/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 325.  Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Pour in melted butter and incorporate. Press dough into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake crust about 10 minutes. Allow to cool before filling.

Chocolate Cheesecake

• prepared chocolate crust
• 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 tsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 eggs, room temperature
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. Beat cream cheese, sugar, corn starch, and salt until creamy and lump free. Beat in eggs, adding eggs one at a time. Mix in warm chocolate, sour cream, and vanilla, until just blended. Scape batter into pan and gently wriggle to even out batter. Place pan in the over and lower the oven temperature to 300. Bake for about one hour and fifteen minutes, until center is slightly jiggly. Turn oven off and leave door open for 30 minutes. Cool cake to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least four hours. Enjoy!