PB Chocolate Cheesecake

I teased you with photos of this dessert when I reviewed the cheesecake pan (only 2 months ago), so I thought it was finally time to share the recipe before a weekend you might be entertaining!   Rich and delicious, a small slice was sufficient to satisfy most!   No need to mention where I fell ;)

I sliced it at home with a warm serrated knife, making sure to get enough slices for our everyone in our ever-growing lab, so I tried it two ways.  At work I served it unadorned, and you could pick up notes of the salty peanut-y pretzels in the crust.  However, peanut butter being one of my favorite things, I loved it dressed up as in the photo below :)   Your choice!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake
slightly adapted from coconut & lime
Serves 12-20

A cheesecake that's not too sweet, you can play up its chocolate-y-ness by serving as is or bringing out the peanut butter flavor with a swirl of peanut butter on top or chopped peanuts-- your choice!   Or swap out the PB pretzels for chocolate cookie crumbs in the crust and top it with fresh raspberries...  ooh, the possibilities!

1 1/2c peanut butter pretzel crumbs (1/3-1/2 bag of TJ's brand)
2T butter, melted
1-3T unsweetened applesauce

2/3c cocoa powder
1 1/4c sugar
2 pkg Nufatchel (1/3rd less fat cream cheese), RT
1t vanilla extract
4 1/2oz 70% dark chocolate, melted & cooled slightly (I might use less next time)
1 16oz container 2% greek yogurt, RT
4 eggs, RT (I used egg whites/substitute for 2 eggs as I ran out of eggs!)

Preheat oven to 350deg.

Mix together pretzel crumbs and butter.  Add in enough applesauce until the mixture is fully moistened and it holds togetherwhen you squeeze a small amount between your fingers.  Press into the bottom of a springform pan.  Bake for 10min, then cool completely on a wire rack.  Turn oven down to 250deg.

In a stand mixer, slowly cream together cocoa powder, sugar, cream cheese and vanilla extract.   While this is mixing, melt chocolate in a double broiler over med-low heat.  Once no chunks remain and all chocolate has melted, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.  Add to sugar and cream cheese and mix well.  Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat thoroughly.

Pour filling into cooled crust and let sit a few minutes.  Tap the pan on the counter to encourage any bubbles to rise to the surface.  Bake for 2hrs at 250deg.  Remove and place on a wire rack.  Run a knife or spatula around the outside edge of the cheesecake to help prevent any cracks from forming as the cheesecake cools.  Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for a few hours.  Serve with a drizzle of peanut butter or chopped salted peanuts, if desired.

 

What's your favorite flavor of cheesecake?