Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake (Printable)
A rich, creamy chocolate and strawberry dessert with cookie crust and ganache topping.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 20 chocolate sandwich cookies (approximately 7 oz)
02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
→ Filling
03 - 24 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - 3 large eggs
06 - 3/4 cup sour cream
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 cup strawberry puree (fresh or frozen strawberries, blended and strained)
09 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
→ Chocolate Ganache
10 - 6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
11 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
→ Topping
12 - 1 to 1.5 cups fresh strawberries, halved
13 - 1 oz dark chocolate, melted (optional, for drizzling)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - Pulse chocolate cookies in a food processor until finely crushed. Combine with melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Blend in sour cream and vanilla. Whisk strawberry puree with cornstarch, then fold into the batter.
04 - Pour filling over cooled crust. Smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the center is just set and slightly wobbly. Turn off oven, crack the door, and let cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour.
05 - Remove from oven and run a thin knife around the edge to loosen. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
06 - Heat heavy cream until just simmering, pour over chopped chocolate, and let sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Let cool slightly, then spread over chilled cheesecake.
07 - Top with fresh strawberries. Drizzle with melted dark chocolate if desired. Chill for 30 minutes before slicing.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The combination of chocolate and strawberry tastes like an elevated chocolate covered strawberry but so much more indulgent
- Despite looking like it came from a bakery the steps are completely manageable even for cheesecake beginners
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are absolutely essential or you'll end up with lumpy batter that never quite smooths out
- The gradual cooling method prevents those dreaded cracks that can appear when cheesecakes cool too quickly
03 -
- If you don't have a food processor the cookies can be crushed in a sealed bag with a rolling pin just aim for the finest crumbs possible
- A water bath isn't strictly necessary but if you want restaurant level results wrap the springform pan in foil and set it in a roasting pan with hot water