Chocolate Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

I made this for a someone's birthday.  Can't take much credit for the actual recipe (got it off of Eva's Fika blogspot and made few changes- so thanks Eva!)  Didn't try the actual cheesecake, but judging by the little mini ones (see picture below) I made with some the bit of extra batter, it was pretty tasty.

What you need:

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies, creamy filling mostly removed

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

For the batter:

3 (8 oz) blocks of cream cheese- I used full fat because that was all the store had at the time, but I think you could easily sub in the 1/3 less fat for little change in taste or texture, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 12 ounces of bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped if that is available to you)

3 eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon Amaretto

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius.  Butter a 10 inch spring form pan, if you have one.  Or, line a 10 inch cake pan with parchment paper (which is what I did).

Mix together cookie crumbs and butter, press into pan. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring until smooth.  Let cool a bit.

Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat until smooth (Or use a mixer if you have one.  Or even the whisk attachment on an immersion blender, if you're desperate like me).  Add the sugar and beat some more. Add the chocolate, beat until it is fully incorporated.  Then add the eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition.  Add the amaretto and sour cream, beat until batter is smooth and even.  Pour the filling on top of the crust, smooth the top slightly with the back of the spoon (and if you're like me and used a cake pan, you probably have some extra batter- yay! you get to make the mini cakes).  Place the pan on a jelly roll or other large pan and pour a cup or so of water into this pan (this will help prevent cracks on the top of the cheesecake).  Place in the oven and bake for about an hour, or until firm.  The center will still be a little jiggly and wet looking.  Remove from the oven and carefully run a knife around the outside or the pan.  Let cool and then place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.  Remove from pan, enjoy with whipped cream and the raspberry sauce.

For the Raspberry Sauce (this is a Saba version- not easy to get fresh or even frozen raspberries.  It works though, and is simple and convenient): 

12 ounces seedless raspberry jam

1/4-1/3 cup water

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Amaretto

Place the jam, water, and lemon in a sauce pan on medium high heat.  Whisk until smooth, bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until it begins to thicken again.  Remove from heat and add the Amaretto.  Serve at room temperature.

Cheesecake Minis!

I made these with the bit of extra batter.  I crushed one cream filled cookie for each hole in the mini muffin tin (didn't bother taking out the cream filling this time or adding butter).  Poured a bit of batter on top to fill.  Baked at the same temperature for about 15 minutes or until set.