This Spiced Chocolate Cheesecake, is by far, not your ordinary chocolate cheesecake! The spices in the filling make this cheesecake extraordinary. Cardamom, cinnamon and ginger… oh my! Who knew how wonderfully they would combine with dark chocolate? Since the flavors are so deep and rich, I chose to whip the heavy cream to lighten up the texture.
Gluten Free & Passover Friendly Crust
The crust is gluten free, made with a combination of dates and walnuts with a hint of cinnamon. The result is fudge-like and it has a somewhat nutty, caramel flavor. It is like a little bite of heaven with every mouthful. All of the ingredients go in the food processor at once, making it a snap to pull together. Once it is processed into uniform tiny bits and holds together in a ball, it can be pressed into a lined springform pan. Once baked, it holds together when cut without crumbling, is chewy and delicious!
If you can’t have walnuts, you can substitute another nut, omit the crust or use a graham cracker crust like the one in my Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake. It is also gluten free and perfectly spiced to compliment this cheesecake as well.
Dark Chocolate
I use dark chocolate chips for this Spiced Chocolate Cheesecake. Feel free to use whatever kind of dark chocolate you like best. What is most important is that you like the taste of it. If it comes in a black or bar, chop it up into small pieces before melting it. Usually it takes less than 90 seconds (in 30 second intervals) to melt the chocolate chips using my microwave. Once melted, the chocolate combines into the rest of the batter like a charm. You can also use melted chocolate like this to make Fluffernutter Chocolates, S’Mousse Cups and Nutella Creme Filled Chocolates and Edible Easter Baskets. So much fun and deliciousness to be had with melted chocolate!
Spiced Chocolate Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups walnuts
- 1 pound pitted medjool dates *12oz after pits are removed
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Filling
- 2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 8oz pkgs cream cheese
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips
- ¾ tsp ground cardamom
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom and sides of an 8 or 9 inch spring form pan with parchment paper.
- Put walnuts, pitted dates and cinnamon into a food processor. Let it grind until it is well combined and holds together when pressed into a ball.
- Press the date mixture into the bottom of your spring form pan.
- Bake for approximately 10 minutes. The edges will brown slightly. Remove from oven and let cool.
Filling
- In a medium bowl, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks.
- Put chocolate chips in a microwaveable bowl.
- Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave in 30 second intervals stirring in between until chips are melted and chocolate is smooth. This usually takes a total of 2-2 1/2 minutes.
- In a large bowl or bowl of your stand mixer, add cream cheese and sour cream. Mix until combined.
- Gradually add powdered sugar and spices. Mix until combined.
- Next add melted chocolate. Mix until combined.
- Finally add whipped cream, scraping bowl as needed, mix until combined. Then turn mixer up to high speed for about 2 minutes. You will notice the color getting lighter as air is incorporated.
- Pour mixture onto cooled crust in your lined spring form pan. Cover with plastic wrap, making sure not to press it against the top of the cake. Chill in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
- When ready to serve, decorate with shaved chocolate, berries and/or extra whipped cream.