Dark Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cheesecake

February is the month of love. It is the month for chocolates, roses, fine dining, and romancing. It's still February, and while I missed Valentine's Day with this dessert, this still would be the perfect thing to make for your special someone. Dark chocolate, Raspberry, Mousse, and Cheesecake are four of the most delectable desserts that I am aware of, and combining all four of them into one indulgent masterpiece is enough to make time stop for a little bit. It really is that good. The chocolate mousse itself would be divine, but the addition of the raspberry and raspberry sauce brings this dessert to a whole new level of decadence. Give this recipe a try, it will be sure to be a crowd pleaser. 

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cheesecake

Yields 1 9-inch Cheesecake

Ingredients:


Crust:

15 Oreo cookies {separated, with the filling scraped out}

1 tbsp sugar

5 tbsp butter {melted}


Raspberry Sauce:

1/2 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

2 tbsp sugar


Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake:

4 {8-ounce)} packages cream cheese

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips


Chocolate Ganache: 

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp sugar



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. In a food processor blend together the cookies and the sugar. Add in the melted butter and blend again. 

Prepare your 9-inch springform pan by putting parchment paper on the bottom of it and spraying the sides. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan evenly.

Bake in the oven for 5 minutes; bring out and cool.



While the crust is baking, start making the raspberry sauce.


In a small sauce pan over low to medium heat, break down the berries and combine them with the sugar. Be careful not to burn them!

Once they are combined, allow them to remain at a gentle rolling boil over low heat for a minute or so.

Remove the sauce from the heat, but keep stirring so that it stays liquid. Press the sauce through a sieve to get rid of any seeds or burned parts. This will give you a nice, smooth sauce.

Brush about a quarter of the sauce into the baked Oreo crust. Set the rest aside for later.


To start making the cake beat the cream cheese until it is fluffy and aerated {about 3 minutes}. Beat in the sugar and sifted cocoa powder. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the sides.

In a separate bowl, microwave the semisweet chocolate chips until smooth {at 40 second bursts}. Do not microwave any more than necessary, as it will take a long time to cool.

Once the chocolate has cooled, beat it into the cream cheese mixture. 


Pour half of the mousse filling over the crust.

Spoon the remaining raspberry sauce into the mousse batter. Use a fork to swirl it into the batter and spread it out. Pour the remaining mousse into the pan.

Bake on 350 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 

After baking, cool the cake {still in the pan!} for 10 to 15 minutes. Run a butter knife around the parameter of the cake to help loosen it from the sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.


In the morning, make the chocolate ganache.

In a small sauce pan using a whisk, melt the semisweet chocolate chips with the cream and sugar. Do not let the ganache boil.

Set it aside to cool for 15 minutes before pouring over the cake.

Once the ganache has cooled a bit, pour it slowly over the top of the cake {while the cake is still in the pan!}. Pour and spread it until it is about a half an inch from the edges. 

Cover with plastic wrap again, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

After chilling, run a butter knife around the cake to loosen if from the pan again. Carefully remove the sides of the pan. 

Place raspberries around the top of the cake, using the ganache to hold them in place.

Drizzle any remaining ganache over the top of the raspberries.

Chill until ready to serve.