Name: Ghirardelli Layered Chocolate Cheesecake With Ganache Glaze
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: Finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies - 3 cups; Salted butter, melted - ½ cup; Granulated sugar - 3 pinches; Cooking spray - 3 pinches; Cream cheese, softened - 5 (8 ounce) packages; Granulated sugar - 1 ¾ cups; All-purpose flour - 3 tablespoons; Large eggs - 5; Large egg yolks - 2; Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon; Ghirardelli® 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips - 4 ounces; Coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua®) - 1 tablespoon; Instant espresso granules - 1 teaspoon; Heavy cream - ¾ cup; Light corn syrup - 1 tablespoon; Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips - 6 ounces; Seasonal fruit for garnish, such as sugared cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and mint sprigs - 6 ounces

Ingredients for - Ghirardelli Layered Chocolate Cheesecake With Ganache Glaze

1. Finely crushed chocolate wafer cookies 3 cups

2. Salted butter, melted ½ cup

3. Granulated sugar 3 pinches

4. Cooking spray 3 pinches

5. Cream cheese, softened 5 (8 ounce) packages

6. Granulated sugar 1 ¾ cups

7. All-purpose flour 3 tablespoons

8. Large eggs 5

9. Large egg yolks 2

10. Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon

11. Ghirardelli® 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips 4 ounces

12. Coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua®) 1 tablespoon

13. Instant espresso granules 1 teaspoon

14. Heavy cream ¾ cup

15. Light corn syrup 1 tablespoon

16. Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips 6 ounces

17. Seasonal fruit for garnish, such as sugared cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and mint sprigs 6 ounces

How to cook deliciously - Ghirardelli Layered Chocolate Cheesecake With Ganache Glaze

1 . Stage

Prepare the Crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together cookie crumbs, butter, and sugar in a medium bowl until well blended. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.

2 . Stage

Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on a wire rack, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

3 . Stage

Prepare the Cheesecake: Beat cream cheese with a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and flour, beating until smooth. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating on low speed just until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

4 . Stage

Divide batter into 2 equal portions in separate medium bowls. Pour 1 portion into prepared crust; spread evenly.

5 . Stage

Place Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Chips in a small microwaveable bowl. Microwave on medium (50% power) until melted and smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.

6 . Stage

Stir together coffee liqueur and espresso granules in a small bowl until espresso dissolves; stir mixture into remaining bowl of cheesecake batter. Stir melted bittersweet chocolate into coffee batter until blended.

7 . Stage

Gently pour over plain cheesecake batter in prepared crust, and spread evenly. Pan will be very full. Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet.

8 . Stage

Bake at 325 degrees F until center is almost set but center still jiggles slightly when pan is prodded, 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely, about 2 hours.

9 . Stage

Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil and chill 8 to 12 hours. Gently run a knife or offset spatula around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. Remove sides of pan.

10 . Stage

Prepare the Topping: About 1 hour before serving, bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium. Place Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips in a small heatproof bowl; pour cream-syrup mixture over chocolate chips. Let stand 1 minute. Whisk gently until smooth. Cool slightly, about 15 minutes.

11 . Stage

Pour chocolate mixture over top of cheesecake, and gently spread to edge of crust. Chill until set, about 30 minutes. Garnish if desired.