Double-decker Raspberry And Chocolate Cheesecake

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 (9 ounce) package chocolate wafer cookies, coarsely broken
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 (12 ounce) package frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed, juices reserved
• 6 ounces chocolate, finely chopped
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Recipe

• 1 for crust: preheat oven to 325°f butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.
• 2 double-wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
• 3 place cookies in processor and blend until coarse crumbs form. add butter and process until evenly moistened.
• 4 press crumb mixture firmly bottom and halfway up sides of prepared pan.
• 5 bake crust 8 minutes; cool on rack.
• 6 for filling: press raspberries and juices through fine strainer into small bowl. measure 1/2 cup puree for filling (reserve remaining puree for another use).
• 7 stir chocolate in small metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until just melted and smooth; set aside.
• 8 using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth and fluffy.
• 9 beat in flour, then eggs, 1 at a time.
• 10 beat in whipping cream and vanilla.
• 11 transfer 2 1/4 cups batter to medium bowl; stir in melted chocolate.
• 12 stir reserved 1/2 cup raspberry puree and almond extract into remaining batter in large bowl.
• 13 pour raspberry batter into prepared crust; place springform pan in large roasting pan.
• 14 pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of pan.
• 15 bake until raspberry filling is softly set in center and beginning to puff at edges, about 50 minutes.
• 16 remove roasting pan from oven; let raspberry layer cool 5 minutes to firm slightly.
• 17 starting at edge of pan, spoon chocolate batter in concentric circles raspberry layer.
• 18 smooth top.
• 19 bake until chocolate filling is set in center, about 30 minutes.
• 20 refrigerate cake uncovered until cold, at least 4 hours. (can be prepared 2 days ahead; cover and keep refrigerated.).
• 21 cut around pan sides with small knife to loosen cheesecake; release sides.
• 22 garnish cheesecake with chocolate curls, if desired.