Recipe#8504

Title: Chocolate 11

From: Diana Hamilton hamilton@alumni.umbc.edu 
 Newsgroups: rec.food.recipes 
 Subject: New York Chocolate Cheesecake 
 Date: 7 May 1998 22:14:56 -0600 
 Message-ID: Pine.SGI.3.95.980505120542.14804A-100000@alumni.umbc.edu 

6-8 oz choc. graham crackers (~12-16)
 5-6 tbsp butter melted
 12 oz semisweet choc chips melt/cool
 24 oz cream cheese, room temp
 1 tsp vanilla
 1/8 tsp salt
 1 cup sugar
 3 eggs, room temp
 8 oz sour cream
 Crush crackers- or chocolate cookies- to crumbs (I put them in a
 ziploc and run a rolling pin over top). Mix butter and crumbs,
 press into 9" springform pan bottom and sides, to 3/4" from top (a
 straight-sided drinking glass can work as a presser). Cream sugar,
 salt, vanilla, and cheese together with mixer. Add chocolate, then
 eggs one at a time (do not overbeat), and sour cream. Turn gently
 into pan, bake in preheated oven 300-325F 1 hr with a pie plate
 full of hot water on the bottom rack.  Turn off oven and leave cake
 in with the door closed or slightly ajar 1 hr or longer. Cool on
 countertop rack to room temp (can loosen sides after a bit), then
 cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve cold.
 Technical notes: Avoiding too much air in batter prevents cracking.
 Water in oven prevents cake getting dry, cracking. Lower temp,
 slower cooking keeps texture even, smooth and creamy. Very gradual
 cooling prevents cracking.