Double-Chocolate Italian Cheesecake by domesticdiva

By DOMESTICDIVA

A two-toned cheesecake, with a combination of mascarpone cheese and cream cheese to give the chocolate and vanilla layers body and richness. The dessert is completed with a bittersweet chocolate glaze that covers the whole cake.

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 15 vanilla wafer cookies
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• Cheesecake:
• 2 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 2 (8oz.) pkg mascarpone cheese, softened
• 1-1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 6 0z. bittersweet chocolate, melted,cooled
• 6 oz. white chocolate, melted, cooled
• Glaze:
• 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 tbsp. light corn syrup

Details

Servings 16

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place almonds in food processor; pulse until chopped.
Add wafers and melted butter; process until finely crumbled. Press into bottom of 9-in. springform pan. Wrap outside of pan in foil. (Almonds and wafers cookies can be chopped by hand and crust mixed in a bowl.)

Place cream cheese, mascarpone cheese and sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At low speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well-blended.

Divide cheese mixture evenly between 2 medium bowls. Add melted bittersweet chocolate to one; stir to combine.
Add white chocolate to second bowl; stir to combine.

Pour white chocolate mixture into pan. Gently spoon and spread bittersweet chocolate mixture over white chocolate mixture. Place pan in large shallow roasting pan or broiler pan; fill roasting pan with 1" hot water.

Bake 1 hour or until edges are puffed and top looks dull and is dry to the touch. Center should move slightly when side of pan is tapped.
Turn off oven. Let cheesecake stand in oven for 1 hour. cool to room temperature; refrigerate overnight.

to make glaze, place 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate and 3/4 cup butter in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; gently stir in corn syrup until mixture is smooth and slightly warm to the touch. (about 80 degrees)

Remove sides from springform pan; place cheesecake on wire rack placed over baking sheet. Pour glaze over cheesecake, spreading with spatula. refrigerate until set. store in refrigerator.