Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake

Get ready for the “wow factor” when you bring out this beautiful dessert. Looks like it took hours to make, but you can be busy with other things while it’s baking and chilling.

 

Ingredients:

°2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (or use the premade Oreo)

°3 tablespoons butter, melted

°4 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

°3 eggs

°3/4 cup sugar

°1/2 teaspoon almond extract

°1/2 cup whipped cream

°1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling (reserve 1/4 for filling)

°1/2 cup whipped cream

°1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (6 oz)

°1/4 cherry pie filling reserved for garnish

Instructions

Heat oven to 325°F. In medium bowl, combine crust ingredients; mix well. Press bottom and 1 inch up sides of ungreased 10 inch springform pan.

In bowl, beating cream cheese with an electric mixer on speed to smooth. Adding 1 egg at time, beat well after every addition. Stir in sugar and almond extract until smooth. Adding 1/2 cup whip cream; mix well.

Pour 3 1/2 cups cream cheese mixture into crust-lined pan, spreading evenly. Gently spoon 1 cup pie filling evenly over cream cheese layer (reserve remaining pie filling for garnish). Spoon remaining cream cheese mixture evenly over pie filling.

 

Bake 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour.

In a 1-quart saucepan, heat 1/2 cup whipping cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from fire. Stir in chocolate chips until melted.

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Remove the side of the mold. Place cheesecake on a paper-lined cookie sheet. Spread frosting over cooled cheesecake, letting some drip down the side. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve topped with remaining pie filling.

Enjoy !