Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cheesecake

And for our second cheesecake of the week (oh, to say that every week), we have a peanut butter and chocolate layered cheesecake with a chocolate ganache. I found the idea for the filling for this recipe in a holiday cooking pamphlet, but made up the rest as I went along. I don't follow directions very well.

The ganache is optional, but yummy. Plus, it can cover a multitude of sins. Like cracks. You know, if you happened to get one down the middle of your cheesecake. Not that I speak from experience.

This cheesecake is to celebrate the birthday of one of my best pals, Dave. This is a milestone birthday for Dave, so he deserves a special cake. Especially since he lets me yammer on about food whenever I want. So happy birthday, Davey!

It's a shame I'm not good with icing. This would have been just stunning with "Over the Hill" written across it.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cheesecake
Serves 10-12

Crust:
1½ c. vanilla wafer crumbs
1/3 c. cocoa
½ c. powdered sugar
5 1/3 Tbsp. (1/3 c.) butter, melted

Filling:
1 c. chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1 c. peanut butter chips, melted and cooled
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, softened
¾ c. sugar
1/3 c. sour cream
3 Tbsp. flour
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs

Ganache:
¼ c. whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
½ c. chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine vanilla wafer crumbs, cocoa, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and stir with a fork until well combined. Press mixture into bottom of a 9" springform pan.

3. Using a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add sour cream, flour, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until just mixed after each addition.

5. Divide batter in half. Add melted chocolate chips to one half and melted peanut butter chips to the other.

6. Mix each bowl of batter thoroughly.

7. Pour chocolate batter over crust and spread carefully. Top with peanut butter batter and spread even more carefully.

8. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until outside is baked, and center is starting to set. Cool until cheesecake is at room temperature.

9. In a small saucepan, heat whipping cream, vanilla, and corn syrup over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a light boil. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. (It will combine eventually.)

10. Pour ganache over cheesecake and spread carefully. Top with grated chocolate, if desired. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate cheesecake until serving. Cut into a crumbly mess and enjoy.