Fudge Truffle Cheesecake

Fudge Truffle Cheesecake
By: Easy Baking Hershey’s Cocoa

Chocolate Crumb Crust:
Stir together 1 ½ cups vanilla wafer crumbs, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1/3 cup Hershey’s cocoa powder and 1/3 cup melted butter in bowl. Press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan (lined with parchment paper on the bottom; edges cut to be barely noticeable).

Cheesecake filling:
2 cups (12oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 packages (8oz each) cream cheese, softened (I even tested, and it worked (!) (2-8oz each) cream cheese, and 8oz of Mascarpone Cheese*)
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Move rack to the middle of the oven.

Place chocolate chips in microwavable bowl. Microwave 1 ½ minutes, stir. If necessary, microwave an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred.

Beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add melted chips, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Pour into prepared crust.

Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until center is set. Remove from oven to wire rack. With knife, loosen cake from side of pan. Cool completely. Refrigerate several hours, if possible overnight, before serving. Cover; refrigerate leftover cheesecake.

Makes 10-12 servings

* Mascarpone Cheese: can be purchased at most supermarkets in 8oz tubs. Mascarpone Cheese is called the “true Italian cream cheese!” The texture is creamy and doesn’t need any time to become room temperature!*