Description
Silky dark chocolate cherry cheesecake brings luxurious Italian dessert artistry to your table with rich, creamy textures and deep flavor contrasts. Sweet cherries and smooth chocolate create an irresistible dessert experience you won’t forget.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 24 ounces (680 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 8 ounces (226 grams) dark chocolate, melted
- 1 1/2 cups (225 grams) fresh cherries, pitted and halved
Crust Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) chocolate cookie crumbs
- 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, melted
Additional Ingredients:
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the oven at 325F (160C) and coat a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray.
- Crush chocolate cookies and blend with melted butter, pressing the mixture compactly into the pan’s base to create a solid foundation.
- Whip cream cheese and sugar until silky smooth, then integrate cocoa powder thoroughly, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Incorporate eggs individually, mixing extensively after each addition to maintain a uniform texture.
- Fold in sour cream and vanilla extract, blending until the mixture achieves a consistent, creamy consistency.
- Melt dark chocolate and gently swirl into the cheesecake batter, creating a rich, decadent appearance.
- Delicately fold fresh cherries through the mixture, distributing them evenly without crushing.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared crust, smoothing the surface to ensure an even layer.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes until the center stabilizes and edges become slightly elevated.
- Switch off the oven, leaving the cheesecake inside with the door slightly open for one hour to prevent cracking.
- Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight to set completely before serving.
Notes
- Enhance chocolate flavor by using high-quality dark chocolate with at least 70% cocoa content for a rich, intense taste.
- Prevent cracking by avoiding overmixing the batter and using room temperature ingredients which blend more smoothly.
- Use fresh, pitted cherries for the best texture and burst of natural sweetness, or substitute with frozen cherries if fresh are unavailable.
- Create a gluten-free version by replacing chocolate cookie crumbs with almond flour or gluten-free graham cracker crumbs for the crust.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 442 kcal
- Sugar: 34 g
- Sodium: 260 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg