Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cheesecake

Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cheesecake. A smooth as silk chocolate mousse cheesecake swirled with a heavenly, sweet cherry compote. Such a beautiful combination of flavours.

Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cheesecake

Some friends dropped by for Sips ‘n Nibbles last evening to help celebrate my birthday this week. After a few sticky wings and other finger foods, as  I always do, I served a decadent dessert to top off the evening.

On this occasion I decided to try an idea that I’ve had for a while. That idea to combine two of my favorite flavours, chocolate and cherry into a creamy cheesecake.

Unsweetened chocolate in one ounce blocks are used in this recipe.

The result was outstanding. Some guests even declared it to be the best cheesecake I had ever come up with. You’re going to have to make it for yourself and see if you agree.

If you like you can add whipped cream and chocolate shavings to the top of the cheesecake and serve it as a black forest cheesecake!

Fresh or frozen cherries can be used to make the compote.

Tips for Cheesecake 

I always start my cheesecake recipes with a word about baking a cheesecake using the bain marie method, so here goes.

I bake my cheesecakes in a 10 inch spring form pan. The pan has the bottom and sides wrapped in multiple layers of wide heavy duty aluminum foil. This forms a sort of boat that the cheesecake pan sits in.

The roll of aluminum foil that I use is about 16 inches wide. I use at least 4 layers of foil to make sure that no water leaks in and ruins the crust of my cheesecake.

The aluminum foil wrapped pan is then placed inside a larger baking pan; I use a 12 inch cake pan. Boiling water is then poured into the larger pan filling it from 1/2 to 2/3 of the way to the top.

I find it best to pour the boiling water into the pan after it is placed on the rack in the oven as you are less likely to splash water onto the cheesecake or inside the aluminum foil. I reuse the aluminum foil for several future cheesecakes, adding a couple of layers to it each time just to be safe.

Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cheesecake

Even if you choose not to use a water bath method, wrapping the outside of your spring form pan with 4 or 5 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil will greatly help the even distribution of heat through your cheesecake as it bakes, making it more evenly creamy from edges to middle.

 
Want even more cheesecake ideas? Be sure to check out this collection of Rock Recipes Most Popular Cheesecake related recipes.

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Originally published November 2012. Updated September 2019 to include nutritional information and an updated printable recipe card.

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Chocolate Cherry Swirl Cheesecake

Yield: 16 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

A smooth as silk chocolate mousse cheesecake swirled with a heavenly sweet cherry compote. Such a beautiful combination of flavours.

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Ingredients

For the Cherry Compote

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• 2 cups pitted cherries
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 ounce water
• 2 rounded tbsp corn starch

For the Cookie Crumb Crust

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• 1 ½ cups Oreo Cookie Crumbs
• ⅓ cup melted butter
• 3 tbsp sugar

For the Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake batter

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• 1 ½ pounds cream cheese, three 8 oz blocks/3 cups
• 3 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted ( In a pinch you can substitute ⅔ cup cocoa but add an additional 1/4 cup whipping cream)
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Prepare your cherry compote beforehand so that it can cool to room temperature. Simmer together the cherries 3 tbsp water and sugar for only a few minutes.
2. Stir together the corn starch and 1 ounce of water.
3. Add quickly to the simmering cherries stirring constantly. Cook for only a minute before taking off the heat and allowing it to cool to room temperature.

To Prepare the Cookie Crumb Crust

1. Line the bottom of a 10 inch spring form pan with parchment paper. You can grease the bottom of the pan but using parchment paper is the best way to easily release a cheesecake from the bottom of the pan. I just lay a sheet over the bottom of the pan before clicking the side portion of the pan into place and then trim the excess paper.
2. Mix the crumbs sugar and melted butter well and press the crumbs into a 9 inch spring form pan that has the bottom lined with parchment paper. No need to grease or line the sides. set aside while you make the cheesecake batter.

To prepare the Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake batter

1. Cream together well, the cream cheese, melted chocolate (or cocoa) and sugar.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Beat in the 2 tsp vanilla extract.
4. In a separate bowl, whip the whipping cream and powdered sugar to soft peaks and then fold gently into the cheesecake batter.
5. Pour into prepared spring form pan. Drop the cooled cherry compote in heaping tablespoonfuls over the surface of the cheesecake, avoiding hitting the edges. Using the handle of a wooden spoon swirl the cherry compote gently through the chocolate cheesecake batter. Do not push the spoon handle all the way to the bottom of the cheesecake batter. You don't want to hit and disturb the crust.
6. Bake in a water bath (bain marie) at 300 degrees F for about an hour or until the surface of the cake no longer looks glossy. (60-75 minutes)
7. Remove from oven and immediately run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake. Cool completely in the pan to room temperature, then chill completely in the fridge for several hours before serving.

Notes

Baking time in a bain marie (or even just with the pan wrapped in foil) can be quite forgiving. If you feel that your cheesecake requires another 15 minutes or so in the oven, that should be perfectly fine.

Recommended Products

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  Rock Recipes: The Best Food From My Newfoundland Kitchen
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  Silicone Spatula Set
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  Wilton Excelle Elite 9-Inch Springform Pan

Nutrition Information

Yield

16

Serving Size

16 servings
Amount Per Serving Calories 433Total Fat 29gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 105mgSodium 214mgCarbohydrates 39gFiber 2gSugar 33gProtein 6g

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.

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