Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Course

Dessert

Servings

10-12

Ingredients

Chocolate Crust:

• 9 oz chocolate wafers
• 6 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped, or 1 cup chips
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and still hot

Fudge Layer:

• 1 cup heavy or whipping cream
• 13 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp smooth peanut butter (optional)

Cheesecake Layer:

• 2 8 oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups smooth peanut butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Ganache Topping:

• 1/3 cup heavy or whipping cream
• 4 1/2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter (optional)

Directions

Make chocolate crust:

1. If using a water bath, double-wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform with 3"-high sides with aluminum foil.
2. In a food processor, blend cookies, chopped chocolate and brown sugar together until finely ground. Drizzle in melted butter and process until crumbs begin to stick together, scraping down the bowl if needed.
3. Transfer crumbs to prepared pan. Wrap fingers with plastic wrap and press crumb mixture up sides to within 1/2" of top, then evenly over bottom of pan. Chill crust until needed.

Make fudge layer:

4. Bring cream to simmer in large saucepan. Remove from heat; whisk in chocolate and peanut butter (if using) until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.
5. Pour into bottom of chilled crust and spread in an even layer. Freeze until ganache layer is firm, ~30 minutes.
6. Heat oven to 325°F.

Make cheesecake layer:

7. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar in a large bowl until well-blended and fluffy. Beat in sour cream, then eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
8. Pour over fudge layer that has set in the freezer.
9. Baking:
• To bake in a water bath:
  Place foil-wrapped springform pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold it. Fill roasting pan with enough hot water to come 1" up the sides of the springform pan and carefully transfer to middle oven rack.
• To bake without a water bath:
  Place springform pan on middle baking rack.
10. Bake cake until it is slightly firm to the touch and the top appears dry, ~1 hour. The center (~2") should only move slightly when pan is gently shaken.
11. Transfer cheesecake to rack in the fridge until fully cool, at least 3 hours.

Make ganache topping:

13. Heat cream in a small saucepan until simmering. Remove from heat and whisk in choocolate and peanut butter (if using).
14. Pour onto chilled cheesecake and spread to the edges. Return cheesecake to the fridge until the ganache sets, ~30 minutes.

To serve:

15. Remove foil from outside cheesecake pan. Gently cut around between edge of cheesecake crust and springform pan to make sure it isn’t sticking. Unhinge the sides. You can serve it on the springform base, or, if you’re feeling confident, slide a knife gently under the bottom crust to loosen it from the springform base and slide the cake onto a serving plate.
16. Serve in thin wedges.
17. The cheesecake will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Source

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/02/chocolate-peanut-butter-cheesecake/