Vanilla Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust

This is a beautiful cheesecake, worthy of a special occasion. The photo shows it with a fine shifting of cocoa powder, and we served it with freshly-whipped cream.

VANILLA CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE CRUST
Makes 16 servings // 359 calories, 6 net carbs

CRUST (for a vanilla crust, see end of recipe)
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
2 ounces (55 grams) Scharffen Berger unsweetened chocolate 99%, shaved
3/4 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia glycerite PLUS 2 tablespoons Swerve
(ALTERNATIVE: 1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia glycerite—or—1/4 cup Swerve Confectioners Sweetener)
1 teaspoon almond, hazelnut, or caramel extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 pasture-raised egg

FILLING
3 pounds (six 8-ounce bricks) grass-fed cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia glycerite PLUS 2-1/2 tablespoons Swerve
(ALTERNATIVE: 1 teaspoon liquid stevia glycerite—or—1/3 cup Swerve Confectioners Sweetener
3 teaspoons Nielson-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract
3 pasture-raised chicken eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

PREPARE PAN: Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper, cut to lie flat and fit bottom exactly.

CRUST: Microwave the butter with the chopped chocolate, about 30-60 seconds. Stir until the chocolate is melted. Add the rest of the crust ingredients. Press into the bottom of an 8-inch spring form pan with 3-inch sides.

FILLING: Mix cream cheese, sweetener, vanilla, and eggs in a stand mixer until blended. Dollop on top of crust and smooth the surface with a silicon spatula.

Note: you can use a water bath to create a more even baking process. To prevent water from seeping into the removable bottom of the springform pan, wrap aluminum foil completely around the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Place the cheesecake into any baking pan with sides and place the pans into the oven. Use a teakettle to fill the outer pan with hot water.

If you don’t use a water bath, be sure to place a rimmed baking sheet on a lower rack—sometimes cheesecakes and springform pans can leak a little bit.

Bake 65 to 70 minutes. Check the cheesecake at the 55-minute mark to see how it’s doing. Bake until center is almost set and the cheesecake has puffed up just a bit.

Run knife around the rim of the pan to loosen cake and allow to cool in oven before removing the spring-form pan ring. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

SERVING: Cut into sixteenths…this is a very rich cheesecake! Serve with a dollop of freshly-whipped cream, a decorative swizzle of chocolate, a sprinkle of cocoa (shown), or a chocolate-infused cream cheese frosting.


VANILLA “COOKIE” CRUST
3/4 cup blanched almond flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon liquid stevia glycerite PLUS 2 tablespoons Swerve
(ALTERNATIVE: 1/2 teaspoon liquid stevia glycerite—or—1/4 cup Swerve Confectioners Sweetener)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt