Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Tart

A Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Tart made with a cookie crumb crust filled with a layer of fresh raspberries and a rich cheesecake centre. Then topped with a dreamy layer of chocolate ganache more fresh raspberries and powdered sugar. The perfect combination of sweet chocolate, cheesecake and tart raspberries makes this a dessert to remember!

Who doesn’t love cheesecake?  My son that’s who!  Shocking I know.  Pure madness I was thinking as my husband, daughter and I devoured this chocolate raspberry cheesecake. I found this recipe years ago I think possibly through a Kraft Canada pamphlet. You know the ones you get off the grocery store shelves and have made it many times.

This raspberry cheesecake recipe has always been a hit with friends and family and is a very forgiving cheesecake to make. It doesn’t require a water bath or any special pans or handling and takes under an hour to prepare.

I have made this tart a million different ways using a pie pan, in mini pie plates and finally splurged and bought a tart pan this time. I prefer the tart pan to be honest. The bottom pops right out and you are left with a pretty looking dessert that looks like I slaved away for hours on it but really it was a snap!

Ingredients you will need:

How To make A Chocolate cookie crust

You can use Oreo cookies ground up in a food processor or blender or purchase chocolate cookie crumbs already crumbed from the store just like you would buy graham cracker crumbs. I have made it both ways and don’t find much of a difference between the two methods in terms of flavour. So go with what you have or what is on sale.

Add the chocolate cookie crumbs to a large bowl. In a small microwave-safe bowl melt a 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips and butter on low or using your microwave’s chocolate melting setting. Stir till the melted chocolate is smooth.

Add to the melted chocolate mixture to the cookie crumb bowl and mix together till all of the cookie crumbs are moistened with the melted ingredients. Lightly grease your 9″ tart pan or pie plate with butter then gently press the cookie crumb mixture evenly into the pie plate so that it is even on all sides and along the bottom.

You can also use the same chocolate cookie crumbs to make these Oreo Truffles. These are great to package up for a gift and are super simple to make.

Be careful not to press too hard. I find that if the cookie crumb crust is too compact it comes out really hard and makes it hard to cut the tart. You want it to be even and solid but not hard.

Making the raspberry cheesecake filling

In a large mixing bowl add the cream cheese and beat with a hand mixer on high until the cream cheese is light and fluffy. Gradually add in the sweetened condensed milk continuing to beat until the mixture is smooth. Then add in the egg, lemon, juice and vanilla and beat for a few more seconds until well mixed.

Add 3/4 cup of fresh raspberries evenly along the bottom of the crust.

Gently the pour cream cheese mixture over the chocolate cookie crust just until it is level with the top of the crust.

Bake at 350ºF for about 30 minutes.  The cheesecake will be done baking when the edges are just beginning to turn a golden brown and the centre of the cheesecake looks set.  Remove from the oven.

how to make chocolate ganache

In a small pot add the whipping cream and remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. Melt the two together over low heat mixing continuously until the chocolate begins to thicken. About 3 minutes once the chips are melted. Remove from the stove-top and gently pour the ganache over the already baked cheesecake.

Pour in the centre of the cheesecake and use a spatula to coax the ganache to the edges of the cheesecake. Top with the remaining fresh raspberries.

If you wish to decorate with some powdered sugar do this just before serving so that the sugar doesn’t melt into the chocolate and disappear.

How to store cheesecake

Cheesecake needs to be refrigerated. I gently cover with plastic wrap so as not to mess up the ganache… That stuff needs to be perfect! You keep in the fridge for up to 5 days but I will place bets it will never last that long!

Can you use frozen raspberries?

No, unfortunately. Frozen berries hold water so if you were to use frozen berries instead of fresh the cheesecake would not set and the crust may get mushy.

is it ok to use low-fat cream cheese in this cheesecake?

Nope. Low-fat cream cheese has a much higher water content than regular cream cheese and will affect how the cake sets. If you are going to eat cheesecake it is best to enjoy it. Calorie watching is for non-cheesecake eating days!

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