Black Forest Cheesecake

Four recipes by Amy Walrod were featured in one of our farm newspapers last month. Amy lives just north of us. The photos of her recipes looked so good, that I had to post them here so I can try them later. She gives very good directions, so don't let the number of steps scare you away.

• Ready In: 1 hr 50 mins
• Yields: 1 10-inch cake

Ingredients

• Crust

• 1⁄2 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1  teaspoon water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1  cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1⁄3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1  teaspoon cinnamon

• Filling

• 5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar, granulated
• 5  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup  semisweet chocolate morsel
• 1  teaspoon water
• 1  teaspoon instant coffee granules
• 1 (16 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, divided, juice reserved

• Topping

• 2  teaspoons cornstarch
•  cherry juice, reserved from maraschinos
• 3  tablespoons  semisweet chocolate morsels

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Set a roasting pan half full of water on the lower rack.
3. Grease a 10-inch spring-form pan.
4. For Crust:
5. Melt chocolate morsels and butter in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on high for 1 minute.
6. Morsels may retain some of their shape.
7. If necessary, microwave at additional 10 to 15 second intervals until melted.
8. Combine water and coffee granules in a very small bowl and stir to dissolve.
9. Add coffee, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and cinnamon to chocolate mixture and mix well.
10. Press in bottom of the spring-form pan and 1 inch up the side of the pan.
11. For Filling:
12. Beat cream cheese in a large mixer bowl until light and fluffy.
13. Add sugar, mix well.
14. Add eggs, one at a time, beat well after each addition.
15. Amy says not to over-beat the filling after adding the eggs.
16. Stir in vanilla extract.
17. Reserve 1/3 cup batter.
18. Pour remaining batter into prepared crust.
19. Melt morsels in uncovered microwave-safe bowl on high power for 1 minute, stir if necessary, microwave at additional 10 to 15 second intervals until melted.
20. Combine water and coffee granules in a very small bowl and stir to dissolve.
21. Combine melted chocolate, reserved 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture and coffee.
22. Stir until smooth using wire whisk.
23. Spread mixture on top of batter.
24. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup finely chopped cherries.
25. Gently swirl with a thin knife.
26. Place cheesecake on baking sheet.
27. Bake for 10 minutes.
28. Reduce temperature to 200 degrees and bake for 1 hour or until knife inserted in center comes out with a creamy coating.
29. Turn off oven and let cake cool in oven for 1 1/2 hours.
30. Remove cake from oven.
31. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.
32. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
33. For topping:
34. Combine cornstarch and reserved cherry juice in small saucepan.
35. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened.
36. Cool completely.
37. Stir in remaining cherries.
38. Remove side of spring-form pan.
39. Cover top of cheesecake with cherry topping.
40. Place morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag.
41. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds: knead.
42. Microwave at additional 10 to 15 second intervals, kneading until smooth.
43. Cut small hole in corner of bag.
44. Squeeze to drizzle over cherry topping.