Chocolate Cheesecake With Graham Cracker Crunch

Name: Chocolate Cheesecake With Graham Cracker Crunch
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 12 servings
Ingredients: 2 cups/170 grams graham cracker crumbs; 1/2 cup/100 grams light brown sugar; 4 tablespoons/50 grams (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted; 1 cup/250 milliliters sour cream; 8 ounces/250 grams best-quality semisweet chocolate, preferably Callebaut, broken into pieces; 1 1/2 pounds/700 grams cream cheese; 1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar; 3 eggs; 3 or 4 graham crackers; 2 tablespoons/25 grams unsalted butter; Chocolate ganache (optional; see recipe)

Recipe from the Saltry

Adapted by Julia Moskin

Updated Oct. 27, 2022

Chocolate Cheesecake With Graham Cracker Crunch — Karsten Moran for The New York Times

Total Time: 2 hours
Rating: 5(1,020)
Comments: Read comments

It’s worth tasting a few brands of graham crackers to find one you particularly like — preferably one with whole-wheat flour and a good dash of salt and honey or molasses. Try a health-food store or Whole Foods for organic and low-sugar brands. (Graham flour was devised in the 19th century as a healthful alternative to white flour.) Fresh, fluffy cream cheese with a minimum of fillers and stabilizers is also worth seeking out for this recipe. This recipe works fine with supermarket cream cheese and graham cracker crumbs (or dark chocolate cookie crumbs) in the crust, but the filling must be made with top-quality chocolate to get the full effect: milky cream cheese, tangy sour cream and the slight bitterness of chocolate playing against the sweet crunch of the crust. That’s how it’s been made since 1984 at the Saltry restaurant in Halibut Cove, off the southern Alaska coast. All of the ingredients (as well as the equipment, furniture, staff and customers) arrive by boat — except for the magnificent salmon, oysters, halibut, cod and mussels that are caught or harvested nearby. —Julia Moskin

Featured in: Beyond Salmon Burgers

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Ingredients

Yield:12 servings

2cups/170 grams graham cracker crumbs
½cup/100 grams light brown sugar
4tablespoons/50 grams (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
1cup/250 milliliters sour cream
8ounces/250 grams best-quality semisweet chocolate, preferably Callebaut, broken into pieces
1½pounds/700 grams cream cheese
1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
3eggs

To Finish

3 or 4graham crackers
2tablespoons/25 grams unsalted butter
Chocolate ganache (optional; see recipe)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter, and use fingers to mix well. Press firmly into prepared pan, evenly covering the bottom and about ½ inch up the sides. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
Step 3
In a microwave or the top of a double boiler, heat sour cream and chocolate together just until chocolate is melted. Mix until smooth.
Step 4
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together until smooth and fluffy, at least 2 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time. At low speed, gradually pour in chocolate mixture and mix until smooth.
Step 5
Pour filling over the crust in the pan and bake about 1½ hours, until top is set and dry but still jiggles in the center when you shake the pan.
Step 6
Set aside to cool and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 2 days.
Step 7
For garnish, place graham crackers in a thick sealable plastic bag and crush, using your hands or a pot, into irregular crumbs. In a small skillet, melt butter until it foams. Add crumbs and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted and fragrant.
Step 8
When ready to serve, gently remove sides of springform pan. Serve chilled cheesecake in slices, sprinkled with crumbs and drizzled with chocolate ganache (if using).

Ratings

5 out of 5

1,020 user ratings

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Comments

Gensing7 years ago

I made this for a friend's birthday dinner party. I also cooked in a bain marie. Excellent!

After cooling overnight, I added a thin layer of salted caramel, ganache, and then topped with walnuts, then refrigerated until set..

The ganache recipe produces an insane amount of ganache; i probably used a third of the recipe, if that. I recommend using only half the recipe and spreading just on the top, unless you want to use the extra for ice cream topping, cafe mocha or hot almond milk.

san7 years ago

Can this be made omitting the crust?

Ephraim7 years ago

Made 1/3 recipe in four 8-ounce ramekins for individual servings. Baking time was about 45 minutes. Could have used a little more crust.

Catherine Faris2 hours ago

Can si make this cheesecake in advance? How many days? Planning a multi-day event and need a delicious cheesecake that can handle a day or two in the refrigerator. Thanks!

Beth2 weeks ago

I’ve made many cheesecakes, but never without a Bain Marie, however I trusted Julia Moskin and followed the recipe exactly. Some here suggest chocolate graham cracker crumbs, I used regular and liked the contrast. The cake was beautiful, not any cracking at all, and delicious, with a delightful tang from the sour cream. I added two tsp of decaf espresso powder to the chocolate mixture, which was great. Any topping is gilding the lily, and detracts from the perfect cake. Serving with some raspberries is all that is called for to make a fabulous dessert. My only issue was in lining the springform with parchment. The folds in the parchment caused indentations along the outer edge of the cake, so next time I will make a parchment circle for the bottom, a sleeve of parchment for the sides, and a sling of strips of parchment to enable easy removal of the cake from the bottom of the pan.

Marci1 month ago

I made this for a graduation party. Made as written and added the ganache. The combination of sour and sweet is a culinary classic combination. I baked the cheesecake in a ban marie. Made homemade whipped cream to dollop on top. Everyone loved it. It is a Devine cheesecake. I’m had enough ganache left over to make truffles per the NYT recipe. Added unsweetened coconut flakes to truffles.

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