black forest cheesecake
Delicious black forest cheesecake featuring a rich cream cheese filling, cherry compote, and a chocolate crust.
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- medium saucepan
- large mixing bowl
- electric mixer
- roasting pan
- wire rack
Ingredients
For the Cherry Filling & Topping
- 2.5 tablespoon corn starch
- 2.5 tablespoon water
- 5.25 cups dark sweet cherries Fresh or frozen! If using frozen, do not thaw them first.
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 3.5 tablespoon kirsch Use water or orange juice if you need to omit the alcohol.
- 1.25 teaspoon almond extract
For the Crust
- 35 whole oreos We're using the whole cookie – no need to scrape out the cream.
- 0.25 cup salted butter melted
For the Cheesecake Batter
- 32 oz full fat cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 1.67 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 0.75 cup full fat sour cream at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate melted
- 1 cup cocoa powder
Whipped Cream
- 0.75 cup heavy cream
- 0.33 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For Decorating
- extra fresh cherries
- 1 small semi-sweet chocolate bar for chocolate shavings
Instructions
Make the Cherry Compote
- Stir water and corn starch together in a small bowl until fully dissolved. Rinse, pit, and halve the cherries. If using frozen, do not thaw them.
- Add cherries to a medium saucepan with the sugar and kirsch. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring lazily, until the cherries have released their juices and softened.
- Re-stir the cornstarch (it will have settled), then stir it into the cherry sauce. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute more, stirring constantly, until the sauce gently thickens.
- Stir in the almond extract. Transfer immediately to a shallow bowl and chill in the fridge completely before using.
Make the Crust
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Stir together crust ingredients and press into prepared pan and up the sides.
- Bake this for 10 minutes. Set aside.
Make the Cheesecake Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with electric mixer until creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the sugar & mix until well incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as you go.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium speed after each until just incorporated. Do not over mix at this stage!
- Mix in the vanilla and sour cream on medium until just combined. Mix in the melted chocolate and cocoa powder last, on medium speed until just combined.
Assemble Cheesecake
- Spread half the batter over the prepared crust. Spoon about 40% of the cherry filling evenly over the batter.
- Dollop on the remaining batter and spread it evenly.
Prepare the Water Bath + Bake
- Bring the large pot of water to a boil. Wrap the base of the cheesecake pan in foil and place it inside of a 10-inch cake pan, then place this duo inside the roasting pan.
- Pour the boiling water into the roasting pan only. Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes.
Cheesecake Cooling
- Once the baking time is complete, turn off the oven and crack the door open. Let the cheesecake cool for 1 hour before removing it.
Make the Whipped Cream
- Add the whipped cream ingredients to a medium bowl and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Serve & Store
- Spread the remaining cherry compote over the chilled cheesecake and top with the whipped cream.
- Use a vegetable peeler to make chocolate shavings for decorating. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
Ensure all cold ingredients are at room temperature before you start. This helps in achieving the best texture for the cheesecake.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 771kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 13gFat: 51gSaturated Fat: 28gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 286mgSodium: 513mgPotassium: 229mgFiber: 1gSugar: 58gVitamin A: 1746IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 137mgIron: 2mg
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