The Ultimate Black Forest Cheesecake

This is from the Company's Coming "Chocolate Everything" Cookbook. It is the creamiest, melt in your mouth delicious dessert you have ever tasted! Time does not include chill time.

• Ready In: 1 hr 35 mins
• Serves: 16

Ingredients

• Chocolate Wafer Crust

• 1⁄3 cup butter or 1⁄3 cup margarine, melted
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chocolate wafer crumbs
• 2  tablespoons sugar

• Filling

• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1  cup  cocoa, sifted
• 4  large eggs
• 1  cup  whipping cream
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 cup maraschino cherry, well drained and finely chopped

• Topping

• 1 (19 ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 2  cups  frozen light whipped dessert topping or 2  cups  whipped cream

Directions

1. For the crust: Combine ingredients and press into an ungreased 10 inch springform pan.
2. Chill.
3. For the filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl for 5 minutes.
4. Mix in cocoa.
5. Beat in eggs one at a time.
6. Beat for 5 minutes more.
7. Slowly add whipping cream and vanilla and beat again until well blended.
8. Fold in cherries.
9. Pour over cooled crust.
10. Bake in 325°F oven for 75 minutes or until center is almost set.
11. Run paring knife around edges to allow cake to settle without cracking.
12. Cool completely.
13. For the topping: Spread cherry pie filling on top of cooled cake.
14. Spoon or pipe topping around edges as desired.
15. Chill.