Recipes excerpted from The Cheesecake bible by George Geary. Published by Robert Rose Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Copyright 2008. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

Black Forest Cheesecake

Serves 10 to 12

Black Forest cake has been around for years, but it may be even better as a cheesecake, rich with chocolate and topped with cherries.

Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC)
9-inch (23 cm) cheesecake pan, ungreased, or springform pan with 3-inch (7.5 cm) sides, greased

CRUST:
1-1/4 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (300 ml)
3 tbsp unsalted butter (45 ml)

FILLING:
2 packages cream cheese (8 oz/250g each)
2/3 cups granulated sugar (300 ml)
2 eggs
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled (175 g)
1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)

DECORATION:
Classic Whipped Cream Topping (See below)
1 can (21 oz/645 ml) cherry pie filling

1. Crust:  In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze.

2. Filling:  In a mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until very smooth, for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. With the mixer running, pour in melted chocolate in a steady stream. Mix in vanilla.

3. Pour over frozen crust, smoothing out to sides of pan. Bake in preheated oven until top is light brown and center has a slight jiggle to it, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before decorating or serving.

4. Decoration: Pipe rosettes around top of cake with Classic Whipped Cream Topping. Fill center with cherry pie filling

Make sure the melted chocolate has cooled slightly before adding it to the batter; otherwise, the cake will have chocolate chunks.

Variation:
For a stunning visual and taste sensation, cut fresh cherries in half and place them cut side down on top of the cheesecake in place of the pie filling.

Classic Whipped Cream Topping
Makes about 1 cup (250 ml)

1/2 cup whipping (35%) cream (125 ml)
2 tbsp granulated sugar (25 ml)

1. In a well-chilled bowl fitted with the whip attachment, whip cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer running, sprinkle with sugar and whip until firm peaks form.

2. Pipe a ribbon or rosettes around the border of the cheesecake or ice the entire top.