Amaretto & Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Posted on September 12, 2008
Filed Under Cakes, Cheesecakes, Chocolate Cakes, Chocolates | Leave a Comment
Amaretto & Ghirardelli Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Crust Ingredients:
- 1 cup Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp Butter, unsalted
- 1 1/4 cup Vanilla wafer crumbs
- 1/4 cup Nuts; finely chopped
- 3 tbsp Sugar, confectioners’
Filling Ingredients:
- 24 oz Cream cheese; softened
- 1 cup Sugar
- 4 large Egg; room temp
- 1/4 cup Amaretto
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
Topping Ingredients:
- 2 cup Sour cream; room temp
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Amaretto
- 1/2 cup Almonds, toasted sliced
Crust Procedures:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
- Lightly butter the bottom and side of a 9 x 3? round springform pan.
- Trim a 9? cardboard cake circle so that it fits snugly within the curved lip of the bottom of the springform pan.
- Cover the top of the cardboard lined springform bottom with a piece of aluminum foil, leaving a 2? overhang all the way around the edge.
- Carefully attach the side of the springform so as not to tear the foil.
- Wrap the foil overhang halfway up the side of the springform pan.
- Lightly butter the foil covered bottom and side of the springform pan.
- In the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, melt the chocolate chips with the butter, stirring frequently, until smooth.
- Remove the top part of the double boiler from the bottom and cool the chocolate mixture until tepid.
- In a large bowl, stir together the crumbs, nuts and sugar until combined.
- Add the chocolate mixture and using a fork, stir together the chocolate and crumbs, until combined.
- Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, making sure that the crust extends 1? up the side of the pan. Set aside.
Filling Procedures:
- In a large bowl, using a hand held electric mixer set at medium high speed, beat the cream cheese with the sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth.
- One at a time, beat in the eggs, beating well after each addition.
- Beat in the liqueur, cornstarch and vanilla until smooth.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.
- Bake the cheesecake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted near the center.
- Cool for 5 minutes. Do not turn off the oven.
Topping Procedures:
- In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream, sugar and liqueur until combined and spread it evenly over the surface of the cake.
- Bake for 5 minutes longer.
- Cool the cheesecake completely on a wire rack.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove the side of the pan and sprinkle the top with the almonds.
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