Let this elegant chocolate cheesecake be the centerpiece of your holiday tablescape featuring a gorgeous White Chocolate Snowflake in the center.
![Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake](https://www.southernliving.com/thmb/fXNmGIlmo0_5LmgbMEihjQCl1Q0=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/st_8898_femenu101221043_0-2000-29e8b7a5567340fd9149830fea4ea2e5-47e5e4ca4f6e4685b86e21daeb7dff02.jpg)
Jim Franco
Ingredients
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1 1/2 cups crushed dark chocolate-and-almond shortbread cookies (about 18 cookies; we tested with Keebler Dark Chocolate and Almond Shortbread Sandies)
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2 tablespoons melted butter
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2 (4-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking bars, chopped
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1 cup whipping cream
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4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
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1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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4 large eggs
Ganache Topping
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1 cup whipping cream
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1 (4-oz.) semisweet chocolate baking bar
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1 (4-oz.) dark chocolate baking bar
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Garnish: fresh raspberries or White Chocolate Snowflake
Directions
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Preheat oven to 300°. Combine crushed cookies and butter. Press mixture on bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
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Microwave chocolate and cream at HIGH 1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring at 30-second intervals.
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Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer 2 minutes or until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, beating just until combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Add chocolate mixture, beating just until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust.
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Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or just until center is set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven with door closed 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
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Make Chocolate Ganache: Bring cream to a light boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Process chocolate bars in a food processor until coarsely chopped. With processor running, pour cream through food chute in a slow, steady stream, processing until smooth. Let mixture cool until slightly warm (about 20 minutes).
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Remove sides of pan, and place cheesecake on a serving plate. Slowly pour warm Ganache Topping over cheesecake, spreading to edges. Chill 1 hour before serving. Garnish, if desired.