Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship

Ghirardelli Chocolate Championship winner is Rebecca Burgardt of Mooresville! Her Triple Chocolate Coconut Almond Cheesecake (A.K.A. “Killer Cheesecake”, took 1st place at 2012 Indiana State Fair!

Triple Chocolate Coconut Almond Cheesecake (A.K.A. “Killer Cheesecake”)

1-1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup Ghirardelli Premium Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Chips, finely chopped, divided

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1-1/2 cups Ghirardelli Premium Milk Chocolate Baking Chips, coarsely chopped

1 Ghirardelli Premium White Chocolate Baking Bar, coarsely chopped, divided

3-1/2 cups flaked coconut, divided

1 cup toasted sliced almonds, divided

                                    

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Stir together first three ingredients and press into the bottom of a 10-inch spring-form pan.

3. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of finely chopped Ghirardelli semi-sweet baking chips. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool.

4. Beat cream cheese, eggs and sugar until fluffy. Stir in extracts until blended. Stir in Ghirardelli milk chocolate baking chips, 4 squares of the chopped white chocolate baking bar, 3 cups coconut and 1/2 cup of sliced almonds.

5. Pour into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

6. Cool completely. Toast remaining coconut. Sprinkle coconut and remaining toasted almonds on top of cake. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of finely chopped Ghirardelli semi-sweet baking chips into a plastic sandwich bag and seal. Submerge plastic bag in hot water until chocolate melts. Snip the corner of the plastic bag and drizzle the chocolate over the top of the coconut and almond. Repeat this melting and drizzling process with the remaining Ghirardelli white chocolate.

7. Chill for at least 8 hours before serving.

 

Yields: 10 to 12 servings