Chocolate Explosion Cheesecake

I swear, I have to throw the leftovers of this one out.

It's that good. Like, my thighs are begging me to take the rest to the neighbors...

the ones with skinny legs. So. TRY IT. Then give the rest away.

Unless you're having a rough day. If that's the case? Enjoy. :)

I know it looks like there are a lot of steps, but don't get overwhelmed. It takes a little extra effort, but honestly, the recipe looks more complicated than it really is. I made it for a party this weekend, and it was a total hit. I was so darn proud of myself. Like I could've sold it at the Cheesecake Factory or something. If you're making it to take to an event, I suggest making it the day before.

It needs to sit in the fridge for at least 8 hours.

I altered the original recipe a bit. In the real one, it says to bake it for an hour, but after reading a lot of reviews, I decided to let it bake a little longer than that. I figured Paula must have some fancy shmancy oven that bakes stuff really fast. The rest of us homemakers and bakers have to settle with the regular kind. :)

Prepare yourself. It's really rich (but oh so good).

Good luck!

(yall can thank me later)

Chocolate Explosion Cheesecake

(Original recipe by Paula Deen)

(and yes, mine turned out looking just like this... minus the strawberries.

Photo source: Food Network)

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Chocolate Layer:

• 6 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Cheesecake Layer:

• 1/2 cup caramel syrup
• 1 (16 1/2-ounce) package refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Chocolate Ganache:

• 6 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

For the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter, stirring to combine. Press the crust into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 6 minutes; let cool.

For the chocolate layer: Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter (or microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes total). Whisk in the sugar, eggs, and flour until just combined. Pour into the bottom of the cooled crust and bake for 15 minutes; let cool.

For the cheesecake layer: Spread the caramel topping evenly over the cooled chocolate layer. Cut the cookie dough crosswise into 1-inch slices. Place the slices in an even layer over the caramel, pressing gently together to seal the edges.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and flour until just combined. Stir in the sour cream. Pour the mixture over the cookie dough layer and bake for 1 hour and 20-30 minutes (if it looks really jiggly in the middle, it's not done enough). Remove from the oven and gently run a knife around the edges to release the crust from the sides of the pan. Let cool completely.

For the ganache: Using a double boiler, combine the chocolate and cream and melt (or microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 1 minute total). Spread over the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.