Chocolate Cheesecake

You only live once, so do it.

That’s the only thing the author of the original recipe has to say before launching into the ingredient list. And what more do you need?

Forget everything you’ve heard about making cheesecake. Put your fears aside, you are a champion, and you can make cheesecake. Sure, it may look hard and people will tell you you can’t do it, but you CAN and you WILL do amazing things with this recipe!

Be a winner:

1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 pounds soft cream cheese, room temp

3 eggs, room temp

1/2 pound semisweet chocolate

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 cups sour cream

1/4 cup Cannonborough Bev. Co. Ginger Beer

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix graham crackers and melted butter with 3 tablespoons sugar. Work them together with your fingers until they are well blended. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of a 10-inch springform cake pan.

Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy, then gradually beat in the remaining 2 cups of sugar and the eggs. Continue beating until the mixture is perfectly smooth.

In a small saucepan melt the chocolate with the heavy cream, beat this in with the cream cheese mixture and 1 cup of sour cream. Add the ginger beer, cinnamon, and vanilla extract and beat a few minutes more.

Pour the cream cheese mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes to an hour. The sides will most likely rise higher than the center so don’t panic! If you want an even top carefully remove the sides of the pan once the cake is cool and with a sharp knife slice the uneven bits right off!

Beat together the remaining 1 cup of sour cream and the confectioners’ sugar and pour over top of cake. At this point you can decorate the cake with fresh fruit and/or flowers! We decided to overachieve and pile on some chocolate covered strawberries! Chill the cake before serving, at least 1 1/2 hours, and enjoy!!

Stay sweet!

XO

Charleston Spice Co.