Dark Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

 

Dark Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

 Ingredients:

Crust -
1 cup - chocolate graham crackers
1/4 cup - unsalted butter (softened)

Filling -
32 oz - cream cheese (softened)
6 - large eggs
1.5 oz - dark chocolate (orange flavored preferred)
1 cup - sugar
juice of one orange
zest of one orange
4 Tbsp - Pastamore Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar

Directions:   1.)  Preheat oven to 400°F.  Place the graham crackers into a food processor  and mix until they are ground fine.  Add the softened butter to the food  processor, and pulse until the mixture is evenly moist.  Spread the mixture  evenly into the bottom of a buttered 9" spring form pan.  Place into the oven,  and cook for 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven, and allow to cool.   Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. 2.)  Place the softened cream cheese and sugar into a large mixing bowl.  Mix with a handheld mixer or an upright mixer until the sugar is fully  incorporated into the cream cheese and there are no lumps. 3.)  Finely chop the dark chocolate.  Add to the mixing bowl.  Rinse the orange. Zest the orange and add to the mixing bowl.  Cut the orange in half, and add the juice to the bowl.  Mix until incorporated.  Add the eggs to the mixing bowl, and mix just long enough so that the eggs are evenly mixed.  Slowly pour the mixture into the springform pan.  Place into the center of the oven.  If your oven is temperamental or cooks unevenly, it is recommended that the pan be placed into a water bath to ensure even cooking. 4.)  Cook for approximately 1 hour.  The cheesecake is done cooking when a toothpick or knife place into the cut pulls out cleanly.  The center of the cake should jiggle, but should not appear liquid.  Remove from the oven, and place onto a cooling rack.  Run a knife along the inside rim of the pan to prevent the cheesecake from sticking to the pan.  All to cool for at least one hour before covering and placing into the refrigerator.  Allow at least 6 hours for the cake to settle. 5.)  When ready to serve the cheesecake, place the Pastamore Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar into a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook the balsamic until it is reduced by half.  Top the cheesecake with the dark chocolate balsamic reduction while still warm.  Garnish with an orange slice.