Chocolate -Raspberry Cheesecake

Another AWESOME cheesecake I get rave reviews from. I clipped this recipe from a Better Homes & Gardens magazine and I love it--worth the effort. I prefer to use the fresh raspberries and I sometimes drizzle additional melted chocolate on top. The two layer effect makes for a nice presentation. SO YUMMY!

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 1 9inch sprinform pan

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups  finely crushed graham crackers (crumbs)
• 1⁄4 cup  sifted powdered sugar
• 1⁄3 cup butter, melted
• 2  cups raspberries (fresh or frozen loose-pack, thawed)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 4  eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  cup  semisweet chocolate piece, melted & cooled

Directions

1. For the crust, combine graham crumbs & powdered sugar; stir in melted butter.
2. Press onto the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
3. In a bowl, stir together 1 cup of the raspberries with the granulated sugar; set aside.
4. For the filling, beat the cream cheese and condensed milk until combined, add eggs & vanilla; beat just until combined.
5. Divide batter in half.
6. Stir melted chocolate into half of the batter.
7. Pour chocolate batter into the prepared pan.
8. Stir the raspberry-sugar mixture into the remaining half of batter.
9. Spoon this batter over the chocolate batter.
10. Place on shallow baking pan.
11. Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes or until center appears nearly set when shaken (only seems to take about 45 minutes in my oven). Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes.
12. Loosen crust from sides of pan,cool cake completely.
13. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.
14. Serve with remaining raspberries, whip cream if desired.