Hershey's Chocolate Cheesecake

A rich, dark chocolate cheese cake with a chocolate cookie crumb crust and chocolate drizzle.

My husband's birthday was last week and I always make him a cake.  I found this recipe years ago, from some recipe cards that Hershey's mailed out to my mom, and my hubby requests it every year.

I'm not a big fan of regular cheesecake, but a chocolate one I can get behind.  After all, it's not good dessert if it doesn't contain chocolate (that's my motto at least).

This cheese cake can be made with any type of cocoa powder, but I use Hershey's special dark to give it even more chocolate flavor.  The drizzle is semisweet chocolate but I've made it with dark chocolate and with peanut butter before.  White chocolate would be okay too, if you like it (I don't consider it real chocolate and it has no business in any good recipe).  The crumb crust I always make with Teddy Grahams (I just love the cute little guys) but any chocolate cookie would work. This time I flavored both the drizzle and the crumb crust with espresso powder.  Amazing!  I would like to try serving it with a raspberry syrup sometime (Hubby loves raspberries) so if anyone has a good recipe send it my way.

This cake is super rich and flavorful.  You don't need a very big piece to satisfy and it looks great.  It is perfect for any special occasion and is very simple to make (I'm not a cheesecake expert and it always cracks on be but the drizzle kinda hides the imperfections and it always tastes great).

Ingredients:
Recipe from Hershey's company (there is a similar one on the website)

*Chocolate crumb crust
3-8oz packs of cream cheese, soft
1 1/4 cups sugar
8oz sour cream
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa
2 Tbsp all purpose flour
3 eggs
*Chocolate drizzle

*Chocolate crumb crust:  Mix together 1 cup of chocolate crumbs (I make crumbs by crushing about 2 cups of Teddy Grahams) and 1/2-3/4 stick of (melted) butter.  Add 1 tsp of instant espresso powder to the mix if you like. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan and heat in a 450F oven for about 5 minutes.

*Chocolate drizzle:  Melt together (in microwave) 1/2 cup chocolate chips with 2 tsp vegetable shortening.  Mix thoroughly.  Add 1 tsp espresso powder if you like.

Cream together cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add sour cream and vanilla, mixing well.  Beat in cocoa powder and flour and then add the eggs one at a time.  Stir until just blended then pour over *Chocolate crumb crust.

Bake the cake at 450F for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 250 and bake for about 40 minutes more.  Cake is done when there is a small giggly bit at the center (about 2-3 inches diameter).  Remove from oven and loosen cake sides from the pan (with a knife) and allow to cool completely before removing the sides of the pan.  (Cake will continue to cook while cooling and will set by the time it is completely cool)  Drizzle the *Chocolate drizzle over the top of the cake and refrigerate overnight (or at least 4-6 hours).  Makes 12 servings.  Enjoy.