Cakes and Frostings

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

This decadent dessert sends a sweet message on Valentine’s Day, but it’s really a showstopper any day of the year.

Servings

16

Level

Easy

Crust

  • 1 ¾ cups graham cracker crumbs
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 6 Tablespoons Challenge Butter, melted

Filling and Topping

  • 12 ounces (approx. 1 ⅔ to 2 cups) fresh raspberries, divided
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • ⅔ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 Tablespoon corn starch
  • 4 packages (8 ounces each) Challenge Cream Cheese, softened
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup raspberry liqueur
  • 3 ½ to 4 ounces semi-sweet dark chocolate bar (for chocolate curls)

Crust

  • 1
    Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cocoa powder. Stir in melted butter until well blended.
  • 2
    Press mixture evenly into the bottom and about 1 ½ inches up the side of a 9 ½ to 10 inch spring form pan. Place pan in freezer while assembling the filling.

Filling and Topping

  • 1
    Rinse raspberries and drain well. Place cap side down on paper toweling and set aside.
    Preheat oven to 325˚F.
  • 2
    Beat cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer at low speed until smooth and creamy.
  • 3
    Combine sugar, cocoa and cornstarch; then thoroughly blend into the cream cheese.
  • 4
    Add eggs, one at a time, mixing to incorporate but taking care not to over beat.
  • 5
    Blend in raspberry liqueur.
  • 6
    Pour about half of the batter into the prepared crust.
  • 7
    Add 1 cup of fresh whole raspberries evenly over surface and cover with remaining batter. (Place remaining berries in refrigerator to use later as topping.)
  • 8
    Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until just barely set in center.
  • 9
    Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. While cake is still warm run a thin knife around the edge of the pan but do not remove the spring form side. Let cool completely.
  • 10
    Place in a refrigerator and chill until cold throughout – at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
  • 11
    To serve: Remove sides of pan. Top with remaining berries and garnish with Chocolate curls. Use a vegetable peeler to shave chocolate curls over the top of the berries.