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Slice of layered chocolate cheesecake
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Layered Chocolate Cheesecake

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Layered Cheesecake, Layered Chocolate Cheesecake
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Cooling and Chilling 7 hours
Total Time 8 hours 40 minutes
Servings 12 pieces
Calories 722kcal

Equipment

  • 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan
  • large roasting pan that's big enough for the springform pan to fit inside
  • Aluminum Foil

Ingredients

Crust

  • 24 Oreos wafers and filling
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted

Cheesecake

  • 24 ounces full-fat cream cheese room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 5 ounces dark chocolate 50-70%
  • 5 ounces white chocolate
  • 1 cup whipping cream or heavy cream
  • boiling water for the water bath

Ganache Topping

  • 4 ounces dark chocolate or semi-sweet
  • ½ cup whipping cream
  • 2 ounces white chocolate

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325F (160C) degrees.
  • Wrap the outside of a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan with aluminum foil. Wrap it at least 4 times so that the bottom and sides are covered and all seems are covered.

Oreo Crust

  • Crush the cookies (wafers and filling) until their fine crumbs. You can do this either in a food processor or by placing the cookies in a freezer bag and bashing with a rolling pin.
  • Mix the cookies with the melted butter.
  • Press the cookies into the bottom of the prepared pan, creating a slight lip around the sides.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, but leave the oven turned on.

Cheesecake Filling

  • Beat together the cream cheese and sugar in a very large bowl. Beat until the mixture is very smooth and no lumps remain.
  • Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl. With the mixer on low speed, mix the eggs into the cream cheese mixture about ½ at a time. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Divide the batter evenly into 2 bowls and set aside.
  • Finely chop the dark chocolate until its in very small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Do the same with the white chocolate, and place in a second heatproof bowl.
  • Heat the cream until almost boiling (either in the microwave or a double boiler).
  • Pour half the cream over the dark chocolate and half the cream over the white chocolate. Let each bowl sit for 3-5 minutes, then whisk each until smooth. If the chocolate in either bowl isn't quite melted, microwave the bowl on medium power for 45 seconds and whisk until smooth.
  • Place the springform pan with the baked crust (still wrapped in aluminum foil) in the middle of a large roasting pan.
  • Stir the melted dark chocolate mixture into one bowl of the cream cheese batter until the mixture is smooth. Pour over the crust.
  • Stir the white chocolate mixture into the other bowl of the batter. Very carefully spoon the white chocolate cheesecake batter over top of the chocolate cheesecake layer. Do not pour or dump the white chocolate batter over the dark chocolate layer, otherwise, you'll disturb the dark chocolate layer.

Baking and Cooling

  • Pour hot water into the roasting pan so that there's about ½ - 1 inch (1.5 - 2.5 cm) of water in the roasting pan.
  • Place in the oven (still at 325F from previously baking the crust) and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top looks almost set. When it's done baking, there should be a slight wobble in the middle of the cheesecake if you give the pan a gentle nudge. The wobble should look like Jello or pudding, but not like liquid.
  • Remove from the oven and cool the cheesecake in the pan, in the water bath.
  • Once fully cooled, remove the cheesecake from the large roasting pan. Cover the top and place in the fridge to chill for at least 6 hours.

Chocolate Topping

  • Chop the dark chocolate into very fine pieces and place in a heatproof bowl.
  • Heat the cream until almost boiling, then pour over the chopped chocolate.
  • Let sit for 3-5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. If the chocolate hasn't quite melted, microwave for 45-seconds at medium power (not high power) and whisk until smooth.
  • Take the cheesecake out of the fridge. Gently trace around the outer edge with a thin, sharp knife. Then unclamp the outer ring of the springform pan.
  • Pour the chocolate ganache over the cheesecake and smooth to the edges. I typically let the chocolate drip over the edges.
  • Finely chop/shave the white chocolate into thin pieces and sprinkle on top. Return to the fridge until ready to serve.
  • When ready to serve, cut with a sharp knife (not a table knife). Be sure to slice all the way through the crust. Wipe off the knife in between each slice for cleaner cuts.

Notes

  1. Make sure to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese.
  2. The cream cheese and eggs should be room temperature before getting started. Make sure to take them out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before making the crust.
  3. I used 60% dark chocolate for both the cheesecake filling and ganache. I recommend using anything between 50% and 70%. Do not use bittersweet chocolate for this recipe, as it will be too strong.
  4. Cooling the cheesecake slowly and chilling in the fridge is absolutely necessary for the best cheesecake consistency.
  5. Make Ahead Tips: I typically make the cheesecake the day before I plan to serve (since it needs to chill in the fridge) and add the topping the morning of the day I plan to serve it. 
  6. Storage and Freezing: Always store in cheesecake covered in the fridge. It will keep for up to 5 days. Cheesecake can be wrapped tightly and frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. The ganache may discolor after freezing. 
  7. Nutrition information is an estimate only and based on 1 slice (with ganache topping), assuming the cheesecake is sliced into 12 equal pieces. 12 pieces will actually be quite large for cheesecake. 

Nutrition

Calories: 722kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 178mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 362mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 1419IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 130mg | Iron: 5mg