Description
This decadent Black Forest Cheesecake combines a rich Oreo crust with a smooth chocolate cream cheese filling, topped with homemade cherry pie filling, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings. A perfect dessert for chocolate and cherry lovers, baked gently in a water bath for creamy texture and a classic Black Forest flavor twist.
Ingredients
Scale
For the crust:
- 20 Oreo cookies, crushed in a food processor until fine crumbs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake:
- 32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
For the topping:
- Homemade cherry pie filling
- Whipped cream
- Chocolate shavings
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) to get it ready for baking the cheesecake.
- Prepare the springform pan: Tightly wrap a 9-inch springform pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent leaks during the water bath bake. Optionally, place the wrapped pan inside an oven bag for extra protection. Lightly spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Make and bake the crust: Combine the crushed Oreo cookie crumbs with melted butter and press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Prepare water bath: Boil a pot or kettle of water to use later for the water bath baking method.
- Melt the chocolate: Warm heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until very hot but not boiling. Place chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl, pour the hot cream over the chocolate, and let sit for 3–4 minutes. Whisk until smooth and fully combined, then set aside to cool.
- Mix cheesecake batter: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and combine. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each egg and scraping down the bowl between additions. Add vanilla and mix until combined.
- Combine chocolate and flour: Add the cooled chocolate mixture to the cheesecake batter and beat until fully incorporated. Then, add flour and mix until smooth. Scrape down the bowl sides and beat again to ensure even texture.
- Assemble and bake: Pour the cheesecake batter over the cooled crust in the springform pan. Place this pan inside a larger roasting pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle. Turn off the oven and leave the door cracked open; allow the cheesecake to rest inside for 1 hour.
- Cool the cheesecake: Remove the cheesecake carefully from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let it cool completely. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 8 hours to firm up.
- Add toppings and serve: Before serving, top the cheesecake with homemade cherry pie filling, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings for the classic Black Forest finish.
Notes
- You can add 2-3 tablespoons of kirsch (cherry brandy) to the cheesecake batter or the cherry pie filling to enhance the authentic Black Forest flavor.
- Wrapping the springform pan with foil and optionally placing it inside an oven bag prevents water from the water bath leaking into the cheesecake during baking.
- Using room temperature ingredients (cream cheese and eggs) helps achieve a smoother batter and better texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cheesecake)
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 40g
- Saturated Fat: 24g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 155mg
