Rootitoot Quadruple Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
2 Tbsp sugar
a pinch of cinnamon (optional)
3 Tbsp melted butter

Filling:
5 ounces good quality chocolate
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 – 8 oz pkg cream cheese, warmed (see below)
2/3 cup sugar (or part brown, part white)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Chocolate Ganache:
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

Cream and Chocolate Garnish:
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp confectioner’s sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Chocolate: shavings, curls or chunks

Directions:

Crust:

Mix crust ingredients with a fork and press it in the bottom of a cheesecake pan. (Optional: bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes, then cool completely.)

Filling:

**IMPORTANT: Warm the cream cheese. Put the wrapped cream cheese in a ziplock bag but don't seal it. Push it into a sink or bowl of hot tap water, forcing the air out. Then seal it and weight it down with a plate or something so it's completely submerged for about 15 minutes.

Heat the heavy cream in the microwave to almost boiling. Pour over the chocolate and let it melt for a few minutes, whisking occasionally until completely smooth.

Blend the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until completely smooth. Add the chocolate/cream mixture and then the eggs, beating just until incorporated.

Pour the filling into the crust.

Put 1 1/2 cups water and the trivet in the Instant Pot. Place the cheesecake on the trivet (no need to cover the top with tinfoil), close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Hit the Pressure Cook (or Manual) button and use the + and – buttons to set the time at 32 minutes for a 7-inch pan. (Remember... other pan sizes and times below.)

When it's done, leave it for a 15-minute natural release, then flip the valve to Venting and when the pin drops, open the pot and remove the cheesecake. If there is condensation on top, tilt the pan slightly and blot it off with paper towel. Cool the cheesecake on the counter for an hour, then cover the pan and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Chocolate Ganache Topping:

Heat the heavy cream and sugar in the microwave until piping hot. Pour over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute and then gently whisk until completely smooth. Pour the warm ganache over the chilled cheesecake. I like to leave an inch of exposed cheesecake bare around the edge. It's pretty. Let this cool completely before adding the whipped cream.

Cream and Chocolate Garnish:

Whip the cream with the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla. Decorate the cheesecake however you like with the whipped cream. Sprinkle shaved chocolate on top of the whipped cream. Serve as is or with fresh berries, sliced bananas, mangoes or other fruit.

PAN SIZE AND COOK TIMES:

6-inch pan --- 36 minutes
7-inch pan --- 32 minutes
8-inch pan --- 28 minutes
4-inch pans or Individual ramekins or mason jars --- 12 minutes

For 1 1/2 times the recipe:

7–inch pan --- 36 minutes
8-inch pan --- 32 minutes

For two times the recipe:

8-inch pan --- 40 minutes