A delicious cheesecake for chocolate lovers!  Bittersweet chocolate and cocoa create a moist and intensely flavorful dessert with whole cherries both in and on top of the cheesecake.  A chocolate crust really pushes this already great dessert over the top!

Ingredients

• For the Crust:
• 1 cup flour
• 1 Tbl baking cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/5 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 large egg
• For the Filling:
• 1 pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped small
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking cocoa
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 10 ounces canned red cherries
• For the Cherry Topping:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 12 ounce package frozen cherries

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 110 minutes

• Total Time: 130 minutes
• Yield: 1 10-inch cheesecake

Preparation

Grease a 10-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Prepare the crust:

 In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Whisk in the sugars.  Cut in the butter.  Stir in the egg until a smooth dough forms. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides of the pan. Prick the crust all over with a fork. Cover and chill the crust for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Stir chopped chocolate and sugar in a bain marie or heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until melted and smooth.

Remove bowl and stir in the vanilla extract. Let cool briefly until lukewarm but still pourable.

Blend cream cheese in another bowl until smooth. Add in cocoa powder and cornstarch. Stir to combine. Blend in eggs, one at a time. Gently stir in lukewarm chocolate until completely blended. Layer cherries over crust then, pour filling over cherries.

Bake until the filling is set, about 50 minutes. Turn off the oven and let cool in oven with door ajar for about 1 hour. Take out and cool completely. Chill the cake overnight before cutting.

About 10 minutes before serving, let frozen cherries thaw slightly until juice begins to form.  Roll cherries in the sugar then place on top of the cheesecake.  Slice and serve.

 

More Cherry Desserts:

 

Triple-Cherry Streusel Bars

Cherry Apricot Clafouti

 Chocolate Lava Cake with Cherry Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream