Ingredients
Crust
- 1½ cups Oreo or graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
Cheesecake
- Four 8-ounce packages Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1⅔ cups sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large or extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
Ganache Topping
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (use bars, not chocolate chips)
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
- Fresh strawberries
- White and dark chocolate melts (e.g., Ghirardelli) for dipping
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Combine wafer crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Keep the oven heated to 350°F for baking the cheesecake.
- Make cheesecake batter: In a large bowl using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, beat one package of cream cheese, ⅓ cup sugar, and cornstarch on low speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides to ensure even mixing. Add the remaining cream cheese one package at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition.
- Add remaining ingredients: Increase mixer speed to medium and beat in remaining sugar and vanilla extract. Mix in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, fold in ¾ cup heavy whipping cream until just blended, taking care not to overmix.
- Assemble and bake: Pour batter over cooled crust in springform pan. Wrap the pan sides with double layers of aluminum foil. Place the springform in a larger shallow baking pan filled halfway with hot water to create a water bath. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour 15 minutes until edges are lightly golden and center barely jiggles. If very soft on top, bake 10 minutes more.
- Cool and chill: Remove cheesecake from water bath, transfer to wire rack, and cool for 2 hours. Then refrigerate until fully chilled, preferably overnight.
- Make ganache topping: Heat 2 cups heavy cream just to boiling. Pour over chopped semi-sweet chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Pour ganache evenly over chilled cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight to set.
- Prepare chocolate-dipped strawberries: Melt white and dark chocolate melts according to package instructions. Dip fresh strawberries into melted chocolate. Place on parchment paper-lined tray and let harden (refrigerate if needed). Optionally, drizzle opposite colored chocolate over dipped berries for decoration.
- Garnish and serve: Arrange chocolate-dipped strawberries on top of the ganache-topped cheesecake just before serving for an elegant finish.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for smoothest batter.
- Wrapping the pan in foil prevents water from leaking into the cheesecake during water bath baking.
- Do not overmix batter once eggs and cream are added to avoid cracking.
- The water bath helps create a creamy texture by evenly distributing heat.
- Chilling the cheesecake overnight improves flavor and firmness.
- Use high-quality semi-sweet chocolate for best ganache results.
- Chocolate-dipped strawberries can be prepared ahead and refrigerated.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 23 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
