Chocolate Stout Cheesecake

For my dad's birthday last week, I decided to make a chocolate cheesecake with a little something extra.



* 1 cup crushed chocolate cookies
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 2 tbs sugar
* 1/4 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
* 3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1/2 lb semisweet chocolate chips
* 2 tbs heavy cream
* 1 cup sour cream
* 1 pinch salt
* 3/4 cup Irish stout (Guinness, Beamish, etc)
* 2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare a 9 inch springform pan with butter.
Combine the crushed cookies, butter, 2 tbs sugar, and cocoa in a small bowl; mix; press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer set to low speed until smooth. While beating, slowly add 1 cup sugar and then the eggs, one at a time. Continue beating until smooth.
Combine the chocolate chips and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in the microwave until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Beat the chocolate into the cream cheese mixture. Add the sour cream, salt, beer, and vanilla; blend until smooth. Pour the mixture over the crust. Place the pan into a large, deep baking dish. Fill the dish with water to cover the bottom half of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake in the water bath in the preheated oven for 45 minutes; turn oven off; leave the cheesecake in the oven with oven door slightly ajar another 45 minutes; remove from oven. Run a knife along the edge of the cheesecake to loosen from pan. Chill in refrigerator at least 4 hours.

The result was a little surprising. When I added the stout to the mix, it smelled incredibly strong. Once it was cooked, however, you end up with a wonderfully rich, but not overpowering, chocolate cheesecake.

Definitely a keeper.