Chocolate Marble Cheesecake
In short: A creamy baked cheesecake with ribbons of melted dark chocolate swirled through, on a cocoa biscuit crust. Steam from a pan of hot water prevents cracks. It takes about 1 h 50 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 h 10 min
- Resting
- 8 h
- Total
- 1 h 50 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 490 kcal
Swirling melted chocolate through plain cheesecake batter looks impressive, but the technique is just a skewer and a steady hand. About a third of the batter is mixed with dark chocolate, dropped over the plain batter and marbled in loose ribbons. The crust carries a spoonful of cocoa, and a pan of hot water on the shelf below gives gentle steam. Every slice shows a slightly different pattern.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160°C (325°F) and put a metal pan of hot water on the lowest oven rack. Grease a 23 cm (9 inch) springform pan and line the base with parchment paper.
- Mix the crumbs, cocoa and melted butter until they look like wet sand. Press firmly over the base and 2 cm (3/4 inch) up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
- Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Let it cool for 10 minutes, until just warm to the touch.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar on low speed for 2 minutes, until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the sour cream, cornstarch, vanilla and salt, mixing just until blended.
- Scoop out about a third of the batter, roughly 1 1/2 cups, and stir it into the melted chocolate until smooth.
- Pour the plain batter into the crust and smooth the top. Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate batter over it, then drag a skewer through both layers in slow figure-eights, only 3 or 4 passes, to marble them.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the edge is set and the center 6 cm (2 1/2 inches) still wobbles slightly. A thermometer should read about 65°C (150°F) in the middle.
- Turn off the oven, prop the door open with a wooden spoon and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour. Then cool it on a rack until it reaches room temperature.
- Run a thin knife around the edge, cover loosely and chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Release the pan and slice with a hot, dry knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
Tips
- Cool the chocolate until it is just warm before mixing it into the batter. Hot chocolate can scramble the eggs and leave the chocolate batter grainy.
- Stop swirling after 3 or 4 slow passes. More swirling blends the two colors into a muddy brown.
Questions and answers
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark?
Yes, but the cheesecake will be sweeter and slightly softer. Reduce the granulated sugar to 120 g (1/2 cup) and chill it a little longer before slicing.
Why did my marbling look muddy?
The batters were over-swirled. Make only 3 or 4 slow passes with a skewer and stop while you can still see two distinct colors.
How should I store it?
Keep it covered in the refrigerator for 5 days. It also freezes well, wrapped slice by slice, for up to 2 months.
How long does it take to make Chocolate Marble Cheesecake?
About 1 h 50 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 1 h 10 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Chocolate Marble Cheesecake?
About 490 kcal per serving, with 8 g of protein, 33 g of carbohydrates and 36 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 490 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Fat | 36 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 22 g |
| Sodium | 350 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
