Serves: 12

Ingredients:

Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate cookies or chocolate graham crackers

3 pkgs. cream cheese (8oz. each), softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup cottage cheese

1/3 cup plus 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp flour

1/4 cup amaretto or 2 tsp almond extract

2 tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

4 eggs, room temperature

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cpus powdered sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup raspberry jam

1 pint raspberries

Instructions:

  1. Cheesecake: Preheat oven to 315°F. Coat bottom and sides of a 9″ springform pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle crushed cookie crumbs on bottom of pan.
  2. Beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, cottage cheese, cocoa powder, flour, amaretto or almond extract, vanilla and salt. Beat on low until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
  3. Slowly pour mixture over crumbs in prepared pan. Bake on middle rack 75 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool on a rack and refrigerate overnight.
  4. Frosting: In a large bowl, stir together melted butter and cocoa powder until evenly mixed. Add in powdered sugar and milk. Beat on low until smooth and easily spread. Stir in vanilla.
  5. Run a knife around edge of cheesecake to separate from springform pan, then remove side wall. Gently run a knife between bottom crust and base of pan to separate cheesecake. Place on a cake stand or serving platter.
  6. Spread raspberry jam on top, leaving about a 1″ border around the edge. Pipe frosting to make a border around the top and bottom of the cheesecake. Top with raspberries.