Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Pastry Chef Sumi Saito,
Prairie Ink Cafe

This not-too-sweet cheesecake is a hit with its berry zing. For sparkle, sprinkle the top with luster dust available at cake supply stores.

Ingredients
Crust
2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling
1 kg cream cheese
1 1/4 cups sugar
7 large eggs
1 cup raspberry purée
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup raspberries

Ganache
185 g dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup 35% cream

Garnish
fresh raspberries
white chocolate, melted
mint

Method
Crust

1. Line the bottom and sides of a 10″ springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into the bottom of the pan, firmly, creating an even layer. Chill.

Filling

1. Heat oven to 275˚F.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until soft and creamy, scraping bowl well.
3. Add sugar, beat well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Slowly add eggs while mixing.
5. Add raspberry purée and vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
6. Pour batter into pan. Sprinkle  fresh raspberries evenly over top.
7. Place cheesecake pan into a pan filled with 1″ of water. Bake in water bath 1 hour 20 min or until almost set—the middle of the cheesecake will still ripple a bit when you tap the outside of the pan.
8. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in for an additional 20-30 min or until the middle is set or starting to crack. Let cool 30 min on counter, then in fridge overnight.

Ganache

1. In a small saucepan, heat cream over medium heat to just under boiling point. If it boils, let it cool a few minutes.
2. Pour over chocolate. Cover with plastic wrap for 5 min.
3. Stir until chocolate is melted and ganache is smooth.

Yields one 10″ cheesecake