Cheesecake Showstopper
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I love cheesecake--it's the perfect decadent ending for almost any meal.  And cheesecakes are ideal for entertaining because they have to be made at least 24 hours in advance, which means no last-minute hassle in the kitchen while your guests are having fun elsewhere.  If you think baking a cheesecake is intimidating, check out the following "cheesecake tips," which will guide you through the process effortlessly.   This is my favorite cheesecake--a showstopper with a rich vanilla filling surrounging a dark tunnel of creamy chocolate.  ENJOY!

TUNNEL OF FUDGE CHEESECAKE  

Makes 12 to 14 Servings

CRUST
1 1/2 cups Oreo or Hydrox cookie crumbs (about 22 cookies), including the filling (don’t use cookies with double filling),
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FILLING
5 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup whipping cream
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM TOPPING
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Dutch process
1 cup (1/2 pint) dairy sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated

1. CRUST: Position rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350^oF. Grease a 9-inch springform pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. OR, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, place 22 cookies; process to fine crumbs. Add butter; process 5 to 10 seconds. Turn crumb mixture into prepared pan, being careful not to get crumbs on side of pan. Using the back of a large spoon, press crumb mixture firmly and evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes; cool to room temperature before filling.

2. FILLING: Increase oven temperature to 400^oF. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour, salt and cream.

3. Place 2 cups cheese mixture in a medium bowl. Stirring constantly, gradually add melted chocolate, blending until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips; set aside. Stir vanilla into remaining cheese mixture.

4. Pour all but 1 1/2 cups light cheese mixture into prepared crust. Spoon chocolate cheese filling in a 2-inch-wide ring onto light cheese mixture, about 1-1/2 inches from edge of pan. Be careful not to get any in center of light mixture. Using the back of a spoon, carefully press chocolate mixture down into light mixture until top is level. Spoon reserved light cheese mixture evenly over all; smooth top.

5. Place cheesecake in center of middle oven rack. Position a 13- x 9-inch baking pan filled halfway with hot water on lower shelf. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 300^oF; bake additional 50 minutes. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake cool in oven 1 hour with oven door propped open 1 to 3 inches. Remove to a rack; cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

6. FINISHING CHEESECAKE: Run a thin knife around inside edge of pan; remove side of pan. Using two large metal spatulas, carefully slide cheesecake off pan bottom onto a serving plate. In a medium bowl, combine Chocolate Sour Cream Topping ingredients except grated chocolate. Spread over top of cheesecake. Sprinkle grated chocolate in a two-inch band outer edge of top. Or, decorate top of cheesecake with Chocolate Leaves or other chocolate decorations. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.
(©Food Lover's Guide to Chocolate and Vanilla by Sharon Tyler Herbst)

CHEESECAKE TIPS  (©The Food Lover's Tiptionary, by Sharon Tyler Herbst)

• Cheesecakes require a delicate balance of ingredients, particularly eggs, cheese and liquid. Don't make any majorsubstitutions or the finished product can be drastically altered.
  
  
• It's essential to use the size pan specified in a cheesecake recipe.
  
  
• Add and blend cheesecake ingredients in the precise order given in the recipe.
  
  
• Before beginning to mix the cheesecake, position the oven rack in the middle of the oven; preheat oven 15 minutes. Use an oven thermometer for accurate oven temperature.
  
  
• Cracks are a common problem for which there are several reasons. One is that, as a cheesecake bakes, its moisture evaporates. If too much moisture is lost, or if it evaporates too quickly, cracking will occur on the cheesecake's surface. This problem can be alleviated by increasing the oven's humidity. To do so, place a shallow pan of hot water on the bottom shelf before beginning to preheat.
  
  
• To help prevent a pastry crust from becoming soggy, brush it lightly with well-beaten egg white to seal the surface. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before filling and baking.
  
  
• When making a crumb crust for cheesecake, form a "skirt" of tin foil around the outside bottom of the springform pan to prevent any butter from leaking out onto the oven floor.
  
  
• Prebaking a crumb crust for 10 minutes at 350oF will help keep it crisp. Completely cool a prebaked crust before filling.
  
  
• Seal a prebaked crumb or pastry crust by using the back of a dinner teaspoon to spread 2 to 3 ounces of melted, semisweet chocolate over the crust, to within 1/4 inch of the outside edge. Pop the coated crust in the fridge for about 10 minutes to set the chocolate before filling with the cheesecake mixture.
  
  
• The cheese being used must be at room temperature. This makes it easier to blend with other ingredients creating a smooth, homogeneous mixture.
  
  
• Always beat cream cheese until light and fluffy before blending in other ingredients such as eggs.
  
  
• Ricotta and cottage cheese-style cheeses should be beaten or processed in a blender until completely smooth before adding remaining ingredients. Otherwise, your cheesecake could have a grainy texture.
  
  
• Once the cheese is beaten until smooth and fluffy, add the other ingredients slowly, beating or stirring gently. If you beat too much air into the mixture at this stage, the cheesecake might puff up beautifully during baking, then fall drastically. This creates cracking and a dense cheesecake.
  
  
• Egg whites must be room temperature in order to insure full volume when beaten.
  
  
• Beat all ingredients together until very smooth before gently folding in whipped cream (for unbaked cheesecakes) or stiffly-beaten egg whites (for baked).
  
  
• Convert a plain dessert cheesecake to a savory cheesecake by omitting the sugar and adding various herbs or spices like ground cumin, chili powder or minced fresh herbs. For the crust, use cracker instead of cookie crumbs.
  
  
• Some delicate, custard-style cheesecakes are baked in a water bath, which simply means that the cheesecake pan is immersed halfway in hot water. The water acts as insulation and diffuses the oven heat so the mixture will set without separating. Although solid pans are suggested for use with water baths, springform pans may be used if heavy-duty foil is firmly pressed over the outside of the pan to prevent leakage.
  
  
• Cheesecakes baked in a very slow oven for a longer period of time will shrink less when cooled.
  
  
• Cheesecakes require even heat in order to rise properly. For this reason, it's important not to open the oven door during the first 30 minutes of baking time. Drafts can cause a cheesecake to fall or crack.
  
  
• To allow for variations in ovens, test a baked cheesecake 5 to 10 minutes before minimum time indicated in a recipe.
  
  
• Don't worry if your cheesecake's center is slightly jiggly or soft--it will firm as the cheesecake cools.
  
  
• Partially cooling a cheesecake in the oven, with the oven door ajar, helps prevent cracks in the top of the cheesecake.
  
  
• Concentric cracking and/or an over-browned top indicate either the oven heat was too high or the cheesecake was baked too long.
  
  
• Set a baked cheesecake on a rack to cool. After 30 minutes, run a thin-bladed knife between cheesecake and pan to loosen. Continue cooling until room temperature.
  
  
• Leave the cheesecake in its pan, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours before serving. This allows the cheesecake to set and will make it easier to cut; it also makes the texture creamier.
  
  
• Cracks do not ruin a cheesecake! Disguise any scars with a topping such as slightly sweetened sour cream or whipped cream, fresh berries, your favorite jam (stir until easily spreadable, or stir in a tablespoon of liqueur). Let any filling sink into the cracks for a few minutes, then add more if necessary so the surface is even.

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