Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

I entered this recipe into the Ghirardelli Chocolate Competition at the State Fair last week and won 2nd Place!!

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake
Serves: 16Preparation Time: 25 minutesBaking Time: 90 minutes
Crust
Ingredients:
· 2 cups chocolate graham crackers
· ½ c. melted butter
Line the bottom and sides of a 10-inch spring form pan with parchment paper. Crush the graham crackers into coarse crumbs. Toss with the melted butter until combined. Press the graham cracker mixture into the bottom of the pan. Set aside for later.
Cheesecake Filling
Ingredients:
· 5 8 oz. packages of cream cheese
· 1 ½ c. sugar
· 4 eggs
· 1 ¼ c. Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa
· 1 T. vanilla
· 1 T. raspberry extract
Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 325. With a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until combined. Add the eggs, cocoa powder and raspberry extract to the cream cheese mixture and beat until combined. Beat for 4-5 minutes on medium speed.
Pour the cheesecake filling into the lined spring form pan. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath at 325 for 90 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 2 hours. Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours. Add the ganache and let it set before removing from pan.
Ganache
· 1 c. heavy whipping cream
· ¾ c. Ghirardelli semisweet chocolate chips
Pour the whipping cream into a 2 qt. saucepan. On medium high heat, allow the cream to bubble around the edges. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before mixing. Whisk for 5 minutes until all of the chocolate is incorporated. Let the ganache sit for 30-60 minutes before adding to the top of the cheesecake. Pour the ganache on top of the cheesecake and let it set completely before serving.
Serve the chilled cheesecake topped with fresh raspberries.
Variation: Try this recipe with peppermint extract, topped with candy canes