CHOCOLATE MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE - BACCO RESTAURANT, NEW ORLEANS

Steps:

• Crust:.
• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar in processor to blend. Add butter; process until moist clumbs form.
• Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch high sides.
• Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven but maintain oven temperature. Cool crust in pan on rack.
• Wrap outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. The foil will keep the water bath from leaking into the cheesecake.
• Filling:.
• Stir chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted and smooth. Cool to lukewarm.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until smooth and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
• Gradually add flour, beating until well blended.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended.
• Mix in mascarpone cheese, then melted chocolate.
• Pour filling into crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with enough water to come halfway up around exterior of springform pan.
• Bake cake until filling is just set in center but still moves slightly, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Remove cake from water bath; transfer to rack and cool completely, about 4 hours. Cover and chill overnight.
• Run knife around top edge of cheesecake to loosen. Release pan sides. Transfer cake to platter.