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"Academy Awards" Almost Fat-Free Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Source of Recipe

Garden Country


List of Ingredients

1 ½ cups finely ground chocolate graham crackers.
1 1/8 cups sugar, divided
¼ cups margarine (regular, low-fat, or fat-free), melted
¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup half-and-half (regular or fat-free)
24 ounces cream cheese (regular, low-fat, or fat-free), room temperature
1/3 cup Dutch processed cocoa
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract



Recipe

1. Heat over to 350F degrees. Wrap the outside and bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan in a double layer of aluminum foil.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine chocolate graham crackers and 1/8 cup of sugar. Process to a fine crumb. Add margarine and process until margarine has been incorporated into crumb mixture. Press ground mixture onto bottom of pan. Place in a freezer until cheesecake mixture is ready to pour.

3. Melt chocolate chips. Stir in half-and-half and mix well. Set aside. Beat cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. With mixer on low speed, add remaining 1 cup of sugar in a slow, steady stream. Add cocoa and beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each until combined. Stir vanilla extract and chocolate chip mixture into cream cheese batter until just blended. Pour over crust.
4. Set cake pan inside a larger baking or roasting pan and place in oven. Slowly pour hot water halfway up the side of the spring form pan. Bake for 70 - 80 minutes or until the center is almost set.

5. Cool on wire rack completely before refrigerating at least 6 hours or overnight. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen. Decorate as desired. Serves 16.