Iron Chef Chocolate: Decadent Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Ok, so Iron Chef Chocolate was a long time ago. Like a really long time. I don’t know why I haven’t written up this recipe before now. Well, ok, that’s kind of a lie. I know why. Because although this amazingly decadent chocolate cheesecake was deliciously rich and chocolatey, and although it took home second place in the Iron Chef Chocolate competition, it’s kind of a pain to make.  It’s not that it’s so difficult. It’s just that there are a lot of steps. It’s definitely not a weeknight cheesecake. In fact, it needs to be refrigerated overnight so it’s not even a one day cheesecake. But the good news is that it’s highly impressive to look at, and even more impressive to taste. So if you want to show off a little, and you have a weekend to spare—this is your cheesecake. I found this recipe at Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

CRUST
9-ounce package of chocolate graham crackers (or cookies)
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Put the chocolate graham crackers in a food processor until they are finely ground. Mix them in a bowl with the sugar. Pour in the melted butter and mix until it’s evenly combined. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and then press the crumbs in an even layer on the bottom only. Bake in a oven preheated to 350 degrees for 5 minutes, just until set. Let cool, but leave the oven on.

FILLING
10 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 large eggs

Start by melting chocolate in a double boiler or, if you’re like me, the microwave, until completely melted and smooth. Let it cool just a little so it’s not completely hot. In the meantime, blend cream cheese, sugar and cocoa powder until completely smooth and combined. Add the eggs one at a time and beat, then mix in the chocolate. Pour the filling over the crust. Now is the hard part. You want to bake until the center is just barely set. It’s kind of hard to tell when it’s done so just do your best. I sometime just tap the side and see how much it jiggles. Some people swear on putting a pan of water in the oven as well to keep it moist. I’ve never done it, but I don’t think it could hurt if you want to.

When it’s done, remove from the oven and let it cool ten minutes before running a knife around the sides to loosen. Let it cool completely before refrigerating it overnight.

GANACHE
3/4 cup whipping cream
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar

Stir the cream, chocolate and sugar in a saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly before pouring over the center of the cheesecake. Spread it on top (within a half inch of the edge). This is great because it’ll cover any cracks you might have (don’t tell!). Chill for about one hour.

CHOCOLATE CURLS

3oz Semi-sweet baker’s chocolate

1 Tbsp Crisco

I used butter flavored Crisco because I had it around (it makes great chocolate chip cookies), but you can use unflavored as well. Put the chocolate and Crisco in a bowl and microwave for 30-45 seconds until the Crisco is melted. Using a fork, break up the chocolate and stir until it’s fully melted and combined. Use the back of a metal cookie sheet, and pour the chocolate on the back, spreading out into a very thin layer. Pop it in the freezer for a few minutes. You can tell if it is cold enough to make curls by touching it. If it leaves a big fingerprint, it’s not ready. If it only leaves a small imprint, you can start curling! With a metal spatula, scrape up the chocolate in long ribbons. It should automatically curl. If it breaks, then it’s too cold, so just wait 30 seconds before trying again. I found that I got the best curls when I moved the spatula in an arc, verses a straight line.

When you have enough curls, put them in a baggie and freeze until ready to serve.

To serve, release the springform pan and top with curls. It’s best to let it sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving, to make it easier to slice. Speaking of slices... you'll want to keep them relatively small. This thing is hella decadent!