I made this cheesecake several months ago (yes, I’m terribly behind on posting) to mark the retirement of a colleague. When I asked her what her favourite kind of cake was, she promptly answered either chocolate cake or cheesecake. I love it when people have a ready answer to that question, and also, how can you go wrong with either option?

With the type of cake narrowed down, I (of course) spent quite a lot of time pondering recipes and for a while had a very elaborate plan to create a layered cake that was both chocolate cake AND cheesecake in one (this may still happen at some point…). But in the end I realized I hadn’t made a regular cheesecake in ages, so I decided to keep it “simple” with a two-toned white and dark chocolate cheesecake, marbled with raspberry for contrasting flavour and colour. And because it was a celebration cheesecake, I topped it off with luscious chocolate ganache, fresh raspberries, and some piped white chocolate butterflies – which are fussy, yes, but gosh I love making them, and they’re so pretty.

A lot of the time it’s just Nate and me eating my baking, so it was pretty satisfying to make a full size cake, take it to work to share with a bunch of people, and have very few leftovers – turns out everyone likes cheesecake! This one is extremely rich and creamy, so a little goes a long way – but it’s the perfect thing for a celebration or special occasion.

Happy retirement, Bev!

Double Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Adapted from Epicurious. Makes one 9″ cheesecake, 10-12 servings. Click here for a printable PDF of the recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (325˚F convection) with the rack in the middle of the oven. Wrap the bottom and sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with a double thickness of wide aluminium foil (make sure the foil is watertight, or you will have a soggy cheesecake). Grease the bottom of the pan with butter or vegetable oil spray.

Chocolate-Graham Cracker Crust

In the bowl of a food processor, place:

4.5 oz chocolate wafers

4.5 oz graham crackers

Pulse the cookies until finally ground, then add 6 tbsp melted unsalted butter and process until blended – it should resemble damp sand. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan, using a flat-bottomed glass to help firmly tamp down the crumbs. Refrigerate the crust while you prepare the filling.

Cheesecake Filling

Set out 3 small bowls. In bowl 1, place:

1/4 teaspoon instant coffee powder

4 oz finely chopped semisweet chocolate 

In bowl 2, place:

4 oz finely chopped white chocolate

In bowl 3, place:

6 tbsp raspberry jam, pressed through sieve to remove seeds

Heat 1 1/2 cups whipping cream in a medium saucepan until steaming. Divide the hot cream evenly between the 3 bowls (1/2 cup in each bowl) and whisk until the chocolate melts / jam is combined and the mixture is smooth. Cool 10 minutes.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place:

2  x 8-oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

good pinch fine salt

Beat on low to medium speed until well blended but without incorporating too much air.

Beat in:

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

One at a time, add 3 large eggs, beating just until blended after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each egg (again, try not to incorporate too much air or the cheesecake will puff up too much and crack during baking).

Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between 3 large bowls. Stir the dark chocolate cream into one bowl, the white chocolate cream into the second, and the raspberry cream into the third. Whisk each mixture until smooth.

Using a large spoon, dollop the 3 batters alternatingly over the prepared crust, then swirl gently in figure-eights with a chopstick or the tip of a butter knife to create a marbled pattern, taking care not to scrape up the crust.

Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large baking pan. Transfer the pans to the rack in the preheated 350°F (325˚F convection) oven, and add enough hot water to the baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake until the edges are slightly puffed and centre is softly set yet jiggly, about 60-75 minutes. Turn off the oven. Let the cheesecake stand in the oven for 45 minutes.

Transfer the springform pan to a cooling rack, remove the foil, and cool completely at room temperature.

Once cool, cover with a piece of paper towel, then invert a large plate over the top of the springform pan (this will prevent condensation from dripping onto the top of the cheesecake). Chill the cake overnight.

Using a paring knife, cut around the sides of the pan to loosen the cake. Remove the springform pan sides. If necessary, use a metal spatula dipped in hot water to smooth out and neaten up the sides of the cheesecake.

 

Decoration

Place 4 oz finely shopped semisweet chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Heat 1/2 cup whipping cream until steaming in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let it sit for several minutes to melt, then whisk the ganache until smooth.

 

Allow the ganache to cool until it is thick enough to spread without spilling over the sides of the cheesecake (about 30 minutes). Using a spatula, smooth the ganache evenly over top of the cheesecake.

 

Decorate as desired with melted white chocolate writing, tempered white chocolate butterflies, and fresh raspberries. Refrigerate until the ganache is set, at least 2 hours, before cutting into wedges to serve.

 

The cheesecake can be prepared 1 day ahead. To store, replace the sides of the springform pan, re-cover the pan with the paper towel and inverted plate, and refrigerate.