Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake

I was debating what to blog about when Jodi sent me a plant via Facebook and tagged on a note about how she needed more ginger and chocolate. Well, we must be on the same craving wavelength because on the weekend I had a hankering for this very combination. So I developed a dessert I hoped would be the cheesecake version of my favourite Green & Black’s treat.

The result is for serious ginger fans only. I use a ginger cookie crust and no less than three types of ginger in the filling. Of course, it’s all topped off with a blanket of dark chocolate and candied ginger. Patience pays off here. If you can delay gratification, 24 hours in the refrigerator (or 48 for the stalwart) allow the ginger to permeate the chocolate in a warm, wonderful way.

Now, I realize that I’ve been posting a lot of high-calorie, carb-heavy recipes lately, but don’t fret. It’s easy to make this decadent dessert healthy like Elizabeth did.

Jodi-Friendly Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake
Printable recipe
Makes 1 9-inch cheesecake and friends for life

Ingredients

Crust
• 2 cups ground ginger cookies
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling

• 3 250g packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger root, grated
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup crystallized ginger
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Topping
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, minced

Instructions

Crust
1. Preheat over to 350F.
2. Grind the ginger cookies until fine. Mix in brown sugar and ground ginger. Add melted butter and blend thoroughly.
3. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
4. Turn oven down to 325F and allow the crust to cool while you make the filling.

Filling
1. Beat cream cheese until smooth.
2. Blend in eggs, one at a time. Then stir in sour cream and grated ginger root.
3. Chop crystallized ginger with sugar until finely minced. Stir in dried ginger and blend well.
4. Add sugared ginger into the cream cheese mix.
5. Add melted chocolate and stir until well blended.
6. Pour into spring form pan and bake at 325F in a hot water bath for 90 minutes. (Hot water baths prevent the cheesecake from cracking. It’s worth the effort. Just cover the bottom and sides of the spring form pan with a single piece of tinfoil. Place cheesecake in a larger pan and it with hot water to half way up the side of the spring form pan.)
7. Turn off the oven and leave cheesecake in it for another hour.

Topping
1. Melt the chocolate and stir in the melted butter.
2. Spread chocolate over the top of the cheesecake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides.
3. Sprinkle with crystallized ginger.
4. Refrigerate overnight.
5. Serve at room temperature. Broccoli garnish is optional.