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This Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake is a chocolate-lover’s dream dessert. It is a new take on my Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake recipe–made even better, and more chocolaty! Fudgy! It reminds me of a wonderful chocolate truffle candy. So yummy!
I made this recipe for my 55th September birthday. And loved it. Every. Single. Bite. You’ll want to slice small slivers of this stuff. A little goes a long way. This has become my new birthday tradition!
This dessert is a chocolate-lover’s dream come true. Consider this: Fudgy chocolate filling on a chocolate cookie crust, covered in decadent ganache. Oh my! This one is truly a stunning showcase dessert.
Ingredients for Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake
(As a Walmart Affiliate, I earn from qualified purchases at the links below. See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
A Note About Ingredients
If you make this chocolate cheesecake, you’ll want to go all out on the ingredients. I like using Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips as well as their baking cocoa, which is simply outstanding. Use real butter–I always use salted butter. And real vanilla.
If desired, buy some Reddi-wip to squirt beside or on your cheesecake before serving, along with a drizzle of chocolate syrup for a lovely presentation.
Instructions for Making This Recipe
Preheat oven to 325°F. Gather all your equipment and ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Crust
Prepare graham crackers by placing one sleeve of crackers in a plastic freezer bag. Using a rolling pin, roll over the crackers until finely crushed. In a glass bowl or measuring cup, heat butter in the microwave for 20-30 seconds until melted.
In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and baking cocoa. Add melted butter and mix to combine.
Press firmly onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
Make the Cheesecake Filling
Fill the bottom of a double boiler about 1/3 full with water. Place bittersweet chocolate chips in the top portion of the boiler. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then turn off the heat.
Stir occasionally until chocolate has completely melted.
Place softened cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth, scraping sides as needed, about 90 seconds.
Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder to the cream cheese and pulse again until combined and smooth.
Next, add in the large eggs, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, about 20 seconds. Carefully, add the melted chocolate and pulse for another 20-30 seconds until the chocolate is thoroughly blended. The mixture should now look satiny and smooth.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape the filling from the bowl and spoon into the prepared crust.
Place the springform pan in the middle of the preheated oven. Bake for 75-80 minutes until the center of the cake is set, but slightly jiggly in the center. The cake will finish setting as it cools.
Do not worry if your cheesecake has cracks in the top. For this recipe, this is not a concern, as it will have a ganache topping on it. No worries!
Run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, cover loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and cool in a refrigerator for 4- 6 hours before removing from pan.
Make the Ganache Topping
Place whipping cream and softened butter in a microwavable bowl and heat for 60-90 seconds until the butter has melted.
Break 8 oz. of the semi-sweet chocolate bar into small pieces and place in the heated cream. Let set for 1 minute. Slowly stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted. Stir occasionally until the chocolate comes to room temperature.
Pour the ganache over the cooled cheesecake. If desired, shave remaining chocolate bar into curls and sprinkle over the top of the cheesecake.
Let stand until the ganache has set, about an hour.
To serve, slice the cheesecake with a sharp, thin-bladed knife.
When slicing the cheesecake, you’ll want to clean the knife blade with a paper towel between each slice to ensure a clean cut.
Place slices on dessert plates that have been garnished with a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Top cheesecake with Reddi-Wip whipping cream as desired.
This recipe will serve 16-20 people, depending on how thin you slice the dessert.
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Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Ingredients
Chocolate Crust
- 1 cup graham crackers (crushed)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup baking cocoa
- 1/4 cup melted butter
Cheesecake Filling
- 12 oz bittersweet chocolate chips (Ghirardelli brand preferred)
- 24 oz cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons baking cocoa powder (Ghirardelli)
- 5 large eggs
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Ganache Topping
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar (for ganache + shavings)
- 2/3 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- Reddi-Wip (for garnish)
- chocolate syrup (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325℉. Gather all your equipment and ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
Prepare the Crust
- Prepare graham crackers by placing one sleeve of crackers in a plastic freezer bag. (One sleeve will equal approximately 1 cup of crushed crumbs.) Using a rolling pin, roll over the crackers until finely crushed.
- In a glass bowl or measuring cup, heat butter in the microwave for 20-30 seconds until melted.
- In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and baking cocoa. Add melted butter and mix to combine.
- Press firmly onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
Make the Cheesecake
- Fill the bottom of a double boiler about 1/3 full with water. Place bittersweet chocolate chips in the top portion of the boiler. Bring to a boil over medium heat and then turn off the heat.
- Stir occasionally until chocolate has completely melted. Set aside until ready to use.
- Place softened cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth, scraping sides as needed, about 90 seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cocoa powder to the cream cheese and pulse again until combined and smooth.
- Add in the large eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined, about 20 seconds. Add the melted chocolate and pulse for another 20-30 seconds until the chocolate is thoroughly blended.
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape the filling from the bowl and spoon into the prepared crust.
- Place the springform pan in the middle of the preheated oven. Bake for 75-80 minutes until the center of the cake is set, but slightly jiggly in the center. The cake will finish setting as it cools.
- Run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Once cooled, cover loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and cool in a refrigerator for 4- 6 hours before removing from pan.
Prepare the Ganache Topping
- Place whipping cream and butter in a microwavable bowl and heat for 60-90 seconds until the butter has melted. Break semi-sweet chocolate bar into small pieces and place in the heated cream. Let set for 1 minute. Slowly stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted.
- Stir occasionally until the chocolate comes to room temperature.
- Pour ganache over the cold cheesecake.
- If desired, shred remaining chocolate bar into curls and sprinkle over the top. Let stand until the ganache has set, about an hour.
- To serve, slice the cheesecake with a sharp, thin-bladed knife. When slicing the cheesecake, you'll want to clean the knife blade with a paper towel between each slice to ensure a clean cut.
- Place slices on dessert plates that have been garnished with a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Top cheesecake with Reddi-Wip whipping cream as desired. Serves 16-20.
This cheesecake is truly a chocolate lover’s delight. I have only tried making plain cheesecake so far and am so tempted to try this delicious dessert. Thanks for sharing such a fabulous recipe, Deborah!
I hope you’ll give it a try. And if you do, please let me know how you like it!
This is a chocolate lover’s dream come true. Definitely a must-try recipe, and I love how easy it is to prepare.
Yes, it was easy. And so yummy. I think I had a sliver a day until it was gone! LOL
I have a real weakness for chocolate truffle anything, but the ganache really puts this cheesecake over the top. I can see how much fun it would be to hang out in your kitchen.
LOL, Beth! You’re welcome to hang out anytime!
I made the choc. fudge truffle cheesecake. My problem is when I made the topping it was very runny. After I put it on the cold cheesecake and refrigerated it, 2 hours later it was still runny. I had to pour the topping off and add more choc. and butter to make it firmer. What do you think I may have done wrong? The only difference is I used choc. chips instead of bar choc.
Hi Michael, I’m sorry that you had problems with the ganache setting up. I’ve had that happen when making ganache for cakes before, although giving it extra time seems to always work. The only reason I can think of for it not setting up might have to do with the type or quality of the chocolate. The higher percentage of cocoa in the chocolate, the firmer it will set up. Also, higher fat in the heavy whipping cream. I would say that if it doesn’t set up after two hours, to add more chocolate to it–so you were correct in trying to fix it. I will add a note to the recipe. Thanks for writing and I hope the cheesecake was delicious, despite the problems with the ganache.
Thanks for the advice. Once I added the extra butter and choc. It did set up. All in all it was fabulous!!! I gave slices to about four people and they all gave it rave reviews. Thanks for a great recipe!
Do you not bake the crust a few minutes first, also is there really no water bath?
Hi Kathy, No, I do not bake the crust for this cheesecake. And because there is a ganache on the top of the cheesecake, I do not worry about a water bath. If you want to do so, I recommend placing a pan of hot water on the rack below the cheesecake. This method works really well for me. See my New York-Style Cheesecake recipe for more instructions on that.
This looks so good! What a great recipe to make for guests!
Thanks! Hope you will enjoy it. It’s delicious!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Hi Vanessa, It will keep in the refrigerator for a month or more. Just be sure to cover it well in plastic wrap and tinfoil or ziplock or a container to keep it sealed well.
Has anyone tried using a KitchenAid mixer versus a food processor for the filling?
Hi Wendy, I’m sure this would be fine to do. I have done that with a few cheesecake recipes before. 🙂
We have just prepared this and wonder if you have ever frozen it before? There is an awful lot of it!
Hi Thomas, No, I’ve never tried to freeze it, but it keeps in the fridge for more than a month! I’ve done that. And it’s always good. Just wrap it in plastic wrap and then tinfoil or a ziplock bag to keep it fresh. Or all three. 🙂 Enjoy!
Best cheesecake I have ever made! Super rich so smaller slices were plenty and fabulous. I used 2 bricks of 1/3 less fat cream cheese with one full fat cream cheese too. I used all recommended chocolate ingredients. Everything went perfect. I used a kitchen aide for mixing in place of the food processor. This cheese cake was far easier than others I have made. I froze the remaining cheese cake in portions of 2 slices making sure to use protective wrapping for freezer. Saran Wrap, then tin foil, then in a freezer bag. Once they were thawed we ate them and they tasted as good as the day I made it. Great recipe!
Thanks so much for leaving this review of my Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake. I’m delighted that you enjoyed it! May your new year be bright!
What size springform pan
Hi Chris, I used a 9″ springform pan.
Is there any reason this recipe can’t be without the crust? I want to use this at a wedding but not the mess the crust can make? Why is an email address required?
Hi Audrey, Thank you for writing about this recipe. I think you could make this cheesecake without the crust if you were going to put it in individual cups. Perhaps it would be okay to make (without crust) as written, but I’ve never made cheesecake that way, so I cannot honestly say without trying. The email is a new requirement by google to prove authenticity–sorry for the added trouble. I would love to hear how the recipe turns out if you try it crustless. Best wishes, Deborah
One more thought, is to be sure to either line the pan with butter or parchment paper to prevent the cheesecake from sticking to the pan. 🙂
Redi Whip for garnish? What is this Bon Appetité? Real whipped cream or nothing!!!
Thanks for sharing. I appreciate your thoughts!
I have a couple of comments. One I miscalculated the amount of chips I needed so I had to go to the store twice. You’re going to need two bags of the 10 oz to make a 12 oz of the Ghirardelli bitter chips. Also you’re going to need four bricks of cream cheese. I saw what appeared to be two in the illustration, so I had to go back. Another thing, if you’re not using a Bain d’ Marie, aka, a water bath on any cheesecake, you will get cracks, and a goopy center. It does take longer in the oven, but the results are worth it. Also, the exact measurements along with the printed recipe would have saved me a lot of time. I spent many minutes going back and forth to make sure I had the right amount, in the right sequence. Thank you!
Hi Lessis, Thank you for leaving your comments. I appreciate your thoughts and am sorry that your calculations were not on spot. Just to clarify to other readers here, this recipe uses 24 oz of cream cheese, which is equal to 3 – 8 oz blocks of cheese. Also, 12 oz. of bittersweet chocolate chips–again, I recommend Ghirardelli. I realize a water bath for the cheesecake is recommended, but since it has a ganache on top I don’t worry about this step. If this concerns anyone, you may also place a pan of water on a rack below the cheesecake, which is the method I prefer to help prevent cracks. Thanks again, for your comments.
I will be trying this recipe, but may add grand mariner liquor or triple sec to the icing and garnish with some orange peel. Yum. Made this in the past and lost my recipe. The ganache is an added layer that makes it very rich.
Best cheesecake I have ever had. Your directions were on point and I also firmly believe in quality ingredients. It’s not that much more cost and the benefits are worth it. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us.
Thank you so much, Jeremy, for the nice review and 5 star rating on this cheesecake. I am delighted that you enjoyed this recipe. It’s one of my favorites, especially for the holidays…and for my birthday! May your Christmas holiday be blessed!
I made this for my birthday, OM Gosh! This is so good! I’m making another for a friends birthday! I took pictures, wish I could post them here! It turned out so beautiful! Thanks so much for this recipe! I sliced half of the cheesecake, wrapped the slices in parchment, put them in a ziplock in the freezer. I know it won’t last long in there! 😁
Hi Myrrh, Thanks so much for leaving this comment about the Chocolate Fudge Truffle Cheesecake. I have made this cheesecake for my birthday many times (and for Valentine’s Day) and it never disappoints. I’m glad that you enjoyed it, and I hope that your friend will, too! If you want, I’d love for you to share your picture on facebook or instagram. Be sure to add @countryatheartrecipes to your post!