Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease bottom but not sides of a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan. I like to line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper for much easier release of the cheesecake when fully baked and cooled. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan in a couple of layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. This helps buffer the heat and catches any butter that melts and drips from the bottom of the spring form pan; this butter can easily smoke in the oven sometimes.
2. Mix together the cookie crumbs, melted butter and sugar and press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
3. Cream together well the cream cheese, chocolate (or cocoa),and sugar.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Blend in the vanilla extract and whipping cream.
6. Pour onto the prepared spring form pan.
7. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the surface of the cake no longer looks glossy. The cake can still be a little wobbly at the center but the surface should not be shiny.
8. Remove from oven and immediately run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake.
9. Cool completely in the pan. Top with Ganache glaze.

To make the Chocolate Ganache Glaze

1. In a heavy bottomed pot, scald but do not boil the whipping cream whipping cream, then melt in the semisweet chocolate chips over very low heat. You just want this at the melting point, do not overheat the chocolate. I take it off the heat and stir until all the chocolate is melted. It may need to be returned to the heat a couple of times but use only as much time on the burner as needed to just melt the chocolate. Cool almost to room temperature.
2. Pour over cooled cake and spread evenly over the top and sides with a decorators spatula...Or to create Ganache lace, cool slightly and spoon into piping bag fitted with a number 3 tip. Pipe over the entire cake in a circular swirling pattern, repeating coverage all over the cake until all Ganache glaze is used.
3. Pipe or dollop on some Chocolate truffle whipped cream if you wish and garnish with some grated dark chocolate. In this photo I've used grated dark chocolate Toblerone.

To make the Chocolate Truffle Whipped Cream

1. Melt ¼ cup of the whipping cream along with the chocolate chips and cool almost down to room temperature. Be careful not to overhear the chocolate. It is best to melt it slowly in a double boiler of possible.
2. Whip the cream and icing sugar to firm peaks.
3. Using a rubber spatula, very gently fold the melted chocolate by hand through the whipped cream.
4. You may have to chill this mixture for a half hour or more if you plan on piping the chocolate cream, especially of you are working in a hot kitchen.