Midnight Holiday Cheesecake

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Of course! The “Midnight Holiday Cheesecake” evokes something dark, decadent, and perfect for a festive celebration. Imagine a rich, jet-black chocolate cheesecake with vibrant, wintry toppings.

This recipe is for a stunning Black Forest Yule Log Cheesecake—a chocolate cheesecake swirled with cherry filling on a chocolate cookie crust, designed to look like a log, perfect for your holiday midnight feast.

Midnight Holiday Cheesecake (Black Forest Yule Log Style)

This cheesecake is a showstopper. It’s a chocolate version of the classic Black Forest flavors, shaped and decorated to resemble a Yule log, making it the perfect centerpiece for a holiday table.

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus cooling and chilling overnight)
Servings: 12-16

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Crust:

· 24 chocolate sandwich cookies (like Oreos), finely crushed (about 2 cups crumbs)
· 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For the Midnight Chocolate Filling:

· 4 (8 oz) packages full-fat cream cheese, room temperature
· 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
· ½ cup sour cream, room temperature
· 1 tbsp vanilla extract
· 4 large eggs, room temperature
· 8 oz high-quality semi-sweet or dark chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
· ¼ cup black cocoa powder (or Dutch-processed cocoa) see note
· 1 cup canned cherry pie filling, plus more for topping

For the Garnish & “Bark” Effect:

· 1 cup heavy cream, cold
· 2 tbsp powdered sugar
· ½ tsp vanilla extract
· Chocolate curls or shavings
· Fresh rosemary or mint sprigs (for the “pine” look)
· Powdered sugar, for “snow”
· Optional: Meringue mushrooms for a classic Bûche de Noël look

Instructions

Part 1: The Crust & Water Bath Prep

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent water from leaking in.
  2. Make Crust: In a bowl, mix the finely crushed chocolate cookie crumbs with the melted butter until it resembles wet sand. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  3. Par-Bake: Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove and let it cool while you prepare the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (150°C).

Part 2: The Midnight Filling

  1. Melt Chocolate: Melt the 8 oz of chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. Sift the black cocoa powder to remove any lumps.
  2. Cream Cheese Base: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until perfectly smooth and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Do not over-whip. Scrape down the bowl.
  3. Incorporate Flavors: Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract until just combined.
  4. Add Eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until just incorporated after each addition. Scrape the bowl well.
  5. Create Chocolate Batter: Pour about one-third of the plain cheesecake batter into a separate bowl. Add the melted chocolate and sifted black cocoa powder to this smaller portion. Mix until smooth and uniformly dark.
  6. Swirl: Pour the plain vanilla cheesecake batter over the prepared crust. Dollop the dark chocolate batter and the cherry pie filling randomly over the top. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl them together, creating a marbled, “midnight” effect.

Part 3: The Bake & Chill

  1. Water Bath: Place the foil-wrapped springform pan into a large roasting pan. Place it in the oven and carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
  2. Bake: Bake at 300°F for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. The edges will be set, but the center will still have a slight jiggle.
  3. Cool in Oven: Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour. This prevents cracking.
  4. Chill: Remove from the water bath and let it cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Then, refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.

Part 4: The Holiday Assembly

  1. Create “Bark”: Run a warm knife around the edge of the cheesecake before releasing the springform ring. Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, create long, vertical grooves and ridges in the side of the cheesecake to resemble tree bark.
  2. Whip Cream: In a chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
  3. Decorate:
    · Spread or pipe a thin layer of whipped cream over the top to look like snow.
    · Press chocolate curls generously onto the “bark” on the sides.
    · Create a small “nest” on top with more whipped cream and fill it with the reserved cherry pie filling.
    · Add a sprig of rosemary for a festive “pine” touch.
    · Just before serving, dust lightly with powdered sugar for a fresh snowfall effect.

Why This is the Perfect “Midnight” Cheesecake:

· Deep, Dark Color: The combination of dark chocolate and black cocoa powder gives it an intense, nearly black color, perfect for a “midnight” theme.
· Festive Flavors: The classic holiday combination of chocolate and cherry is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
· Stunning Visuals: The Yule log design, complete with “bark,” “snow,” and a cherry “berry” nest, makes it a breathtaking centerpiece.

Note on Cocoa: Black cocoa powder is the key to the ultra-dark color and Oreo-like flavor. You can find it online or in specialty stores. If you can’t find it, use regular Dutch-processed cocoa; the color will just be a rich brown instead of near-black.

Enjoy your magnificent and delicious Midnight Holiday Cheesecake

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