Chocolate Mint Cheesecake

  • 1

Ingredients

  • CRUST
  • 9 ounces chocolate cookie crumbs (2 cups)
  • 6 Tablespoons butter or margarine
  • FILLING
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate -- chopped
  • 24 ounces cream cheese -- softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • GLAZE
  • 6 ounces semisweet chocolate -- finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup whipping cream
  • 2 Tablespoons butter or margarine -- cut up
  • 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Preparation

Step 1

heat oven to 350. Wrap bottom and sides of 9 inch springform pan with wide heavy-duty foil. In medium bowl, stir together cookie crumbs and melted butter until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press evenly into bottom and 1 inch up the sides of pan. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until set; cool on wire rack.

Place 6 ounces chopped chocolate in medium heatproof bowl; place over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let bowl touch water). Stir frequently until chocolate is smooth and melted; remove bowl from saucepan.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar at low speed until smooth. Beat in flour. Beat in 2 of the eggs just until combined; repeat with remaining 2 eggs. Scrape down sides of bowl. Beat in sour cream and vanilla just until blended.

Reserve 2 cups batter in another medium bowl; stir in 1 teaspoon peppermint extract.

Stir melted chocolate into batter in large bowl until completely blended. Pour into crust. Place pan in large shallow roasting or broiler pan. Fill with enough hot tap water to come halfway up the sides of springform pan.

Bake 35 minutes. Carefully slide out oven rack several inches. Pour reserved peppermint batter evenly over cheesecake. Bake 25 minutes or until edges are puffed and top is dry to the touch. Center should move slightly when pan is tapped but should not rippled as if liquid. Remove cake from water bath and remove foil. Place on wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, place 6 ounces finely chopped chocolate in another large bowl. Place cream, 2 tablespoons butter and corn syrup in heavy medium saucepan; heat over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until hot (temperature will be about 190). Remove saucepan from heat as soon as first bubble appears; pour over chocolate. Let stand 1 minute to soften; stir until mixture is smooth and chocolate is melted. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Pour glaze over cooled cheesecake in pan, spreading evenly over top; refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.