Metro Weekly

Savor Recipe: Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

A perfectly decadent Valentine's (or Galentine's) treat

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake — Photo: Craig Bowman

If you’re a regular reader, you might be saying to yourself, “What’s the deal? Didn’t we just have a cheesecake recipe?” Yep. That’s true. But the differences between the two recipes could not be more stark.

I’ve been making a version of this chocolate cheesecake for 20 years, and it is one of those desserts I get asked to make all the time. It’s completely decadent and it’s especially appropriate for Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake — Photo: Craig Bowman

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 cup graham cracker or cookie crumbs
  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • 2 Tbsp white sugar

Filling

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 3 boxes cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 12-oz package of chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ¾ cup melted butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 Tbsp Chambord or other raspberry liquor (optional)

Raspberry Glaze

  • 2 packages of fresh raspberries (about 12 ounces total)
  • ¼ cup white sugar
  • 1½ tsp of corn starch
  • More fresh raspberries for decorating.

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 325°. To make the crust, combine the melted butter, sugar, and crumbs, and press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

crust in pan

2. Beat the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed, scraping down sides of bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

beating eggs

3. Add the cream cheese and increase speed to medium. Beat until very smooth, about 4 minutes.

mix with cream cheese

4. Melt the chocolate chips in a metal bowl set over a pot of hot water, stirring constantly.

melt chocolate

5. Off the heat, stir in the sour cream and the melted butter until shiny and smooth.

stir sour cream into chocolate

6. Mix the chocolate mixture into the cream cheese mixture until well-combined and pour the filling into the crust-lined pan making sure that it is evenly distributed.

mix cream cheese and chocolate

7. Place the springform pan on top of a wire rack set inside a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake cheesecake for one hour or until the center is nearly set (slightly jiggly in the center). Let cool for about 10 minutes and then run the blade of a knife around the cheesecake loosening it from the sides. Do not unmold. Let cool completely for 2-3 hours and then refrigerate. The top of the cheesecake may sink and crack. This is normal.

baked cheesecake

8. To make the sauce, puree the raspberries until smooth.

puree raspberries

9. Press the berry puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds. If necessary, add a little bit of water so that you have one cup of the seedless puree.

berries in sieve

10. Pour the puree into a small saucepan with the sugar and cornstarch and whisk until combined.

mix raspberry puree

11. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes (until mixture thickens slightly). Set aside and allow to cool completely.

boil raspberry puree

12. To assemble, move the cheesecake from the springform pan to serving platter and spread the cooled raspberry sauce over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Decorate with more fresh raspberries, shaved chocolate, or and/or whipped cream. For perfect slices, dip a sharp knife in hot water before making each cut and wipe your knife in between cuts.

Choco Raspberry Cheesecake — Photo: Craig Bowman

Questions? Text to Craig at 202-217-0996 or email Savor@metroweekly.com.

Read More:

Savor Recipe: Chili Time

Savor Recipe: Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Savor Recipe: Cardamom Cinnamon Rolls

Support Metro Weekly’s Journalism

These are challenging times for news organizations. And yet it’s crucial we stay active and provide vital resources and information to both our local readers and the world. So won’t you please take a moment and consider supporting Metro Weekly with a membership? For as little as $5 a month, you can help ensure Metro Weekly magazine and MetroWeekly.com remain free, viable resources as we provide the best, most diverse, culturally-resonant LGBTQ coverage in both the D.C. region and around the world. Memberships come with exclusive perks and discounts, your own personal digital delivery of each week’s magazine (and an archive), access to our Member's Lounge when it launches this fall, and exclusive members-only items like Metro Weekly Membership Mugs and Tote Bags! Check out all our membership levels here and please join us today!