Rich & Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake

To round out the romantic pasta dinner I posted earlier this week, Tomato-Basil Spaghetti & Seared Chicken, make sure you save room for a must have dessert of my Rich and Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake! The most loved and best known symbol of Valentine's Day or romance in general is chocolate. Everyone loves chocolate and everyone loves cheesecake, so why not combine the two to make a decadent dessert. This cheesecake is luscious, creamy and yes, a little decadently rich. You can jazz it up by adding fruit, whipped cream or chocolate shavings. I am a purist, as my mom likes to call me, so I keep the cake as is. Serve on a pretty red plate and enjoy!

Recipe:
Crust
1 cup crushed vanilla wafer crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. For the crust, in a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch spring-form pan. Set aside. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a microwave, melt the chocolate chips in 15 second interval to avoid burning the chocolate. Stir in between intervals and melt until smooth. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low until combined. Stir in vanilla and melted chocolate until combined. Pour the filling over the crust.

4. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until center is set. Set on a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of the pan to loosen the cake; cool for an hour longer. Refrigerate over night and serve!