Ganache Topped Cheesecake
This luscious Ganache Topped Cheesecake combines a creamy vanilla cheesecake with a thick layer of dreamy chocolate for those who cannot choose between a chocolate or cheesecake dessert!!
Sandwiching a layer of cheesecake between a chocolate cookie crust and a luscious, semisweet ganache creates a dessert that everyone will adore. The rich Cheesecake Topping pushes this recipe over the top.
Why You Must Make
Some girlfriends were coming over for coffee, and besides some fruit and nuts to nibble upon, I pulled some Strawberry Pound Cake and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies out of the freezer. I also baked up a simple vanilla cheesecake made elegant with a generous chocolate topping and fresh, fragrant strawberries to garnish. Since it was near Mother’s Day, the markets were stocked with large stemmed berries that were perfect for dipping.
- 3/4 of this cheesecake went home with my friends, slice by slice, everyone who sampled even just a forkful wanted more. It’s just that irresistible.
- It will serve 16-24 since it is so rich. Only thin slices are needed so it’s perfect for a large gathering.
- This is a super creamy, luscious cheesecake that’s the perfect way to spoil your favorite cheesecake lover!
Reader Endorsements
- From Mina: I made this and it was HEAVENLY. Crust is delightful, and not too thick. Cheesecake has perfect texture and creaminess.
- From Bee: It was absolute agony having to wait overnight for the cheesecake to set, but man was it worth it. This is my new favourite cheesecake recipe. The richness of the ganache evens out the sweetness of the cheesecake perfectly.
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Butter, Room Temperature Eggs
- Nabisco Famous Wafers – Chocolate cookies, ground in a food processor to use for the crust.
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese – at room temperature
- Cornstarch – Helps minimize cracking and makes the cheesecake easier to slice.
- Vanilla Extract – Not artificial vanilla
- Heavy Whipping Cream – 36% Butterfat
- Semi Sweet Chocolate – Chopped Ghirardelli Bars work better than chocolate chipx
- Fresh Strawberries – For the garnish
- White and Dark Chocolate Melts – To dip strawberries, optional.
Expert Tips
There are a few key tips to help make a very rich and creamy cheesecake, including this ganache-topped cheesecake.
- Make sure you have access to a springform pan. The removable rim helps release the cheesecake from the pan. This recipe uses a 9-inch springform pan (affiliate link), the most commonly used size.
- Use Philadelphia Cream Cheese if possible. According to Cook’s Illustrated, its “classic,” “fresh” flavor, and “subtle tang” were why it won their taste test. Just watch for sales and stock up.
- PRO-Tip: Have your eggs and cream cheese at room temperature. Doing this step makes for a creamier cheesecake.
- If you forget to bring these out of the refrigerator an hour or two before you start to mix the batter, place the eggs in a bowl of hot, not boiling, water to warm up. For cream cheese, I remove the boxes, then place them in an enclosed space like a microwave with a Pyrex mixing cup (affiliate link) filled with very hot (I make this in my teapot) water. Let rest until the cream cheese comes to room temperature.
- PRO-Tip: Use the paddle attachment to mix your cheesecake. A whisk attachment will add air to the batter and prevent a classic, dense filling.
- When it’s time to add the eggs, add one at a time, mixing each until just incorporated.
- Danielle, my friend, and recipe source, made her Ganache Cheesecake with Strawberries with a graham cracker crust. Feel free to whip up this dessert with the same amount of graham cracker crumbs, Vanilla Wafer crumbs, Biscoff crumbs or even Oreo crumbs instead of Nabisco Famous Wafers (affiliate link).
- If you have trouble locating them, Nabisco Famous Wafers are often shelved near the ice cream toppings in the supermarket.
- PRO-Tip: Use chocolate bars (I used Ghirardelli brand) instead of chocolate chips. The quality is better and the ganache may not thicken as well if using chocolate chips.
- If you want to garnish your cheesecake, look for big, perfect strawberries and arrange an odd number, 3 or 5, in the middle of the cheesecake.
- To go the extra mile, melt some white and dark chocolate (chocolate melts work well) and dip your berries. Use the opposite “color” of chocolate to drizzle back and forth across the berries. I like using a quart-sized ziplock bag with a small piece cut off the corner for a makeshift piping bag.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since my computer spell check doesn’t recognize the word “ganache,” I figured it was worth explaining. Ganache is a mixture of chocolate and cream that dates back to France in the 1860s when it was first used to make chocolate truffles.
Typically chopped chocolate is added to hot heavy cream and allowed to melt into a rich, decadent, multi-functional dessert component.
A 50-50 ratio of chocolate to cream is common, but a ganache can be a sauce, dessert topping, truffle filling, frosting, or even chilled in a terrine for a pate.
Typically, chopped chocolate is added to hot cream, allowed to melt, then stirred until smooth. The more cream, the more pourable the ganache, so the proportions will differ depending on the usage.
You May Also Like:
- 100 Homemade Cheesecakes from Life, Love and Sugar
- Mini Margarita Cheesecakes
- Perfect Vanilla Cheesecake
- Apple Crisp Cheesecake
- Mascarpone Cheesecake with Balsamic Strawberries
- For a smaller cheesecake, check out this Mini 4-Inch Instant Pot Cheesecake
- More Tips for Making Cheesecakes
- Homemade Cheesecakes
- More Dessert Recipes
Stay in touch through social media @ Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And if you love the results, please give it a 5-star rating in the recipe card. Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Visit my Amazon Store for my favorite products.
Ganache Topped Cheesecake Recipe
An ultra creamy cheesecake with a luscious chocolate ganache topping
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 1 1 /2 cup Nabisco Famous Wafer crumbs
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 6 tablespoons melted butter
- Cheesecake:
- Four 8-ounce packages Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1⅔ cups sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large or extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- *Ganache:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 12 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped (use bars, not chocolate chips)
- Fresh strawberries
- White and dark chocolate melts (I used Ghirardelli)
Instructions
- To make the crust, combine all ingredients and press onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven at 350 degrees to bake the cheesecake.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 1 package of the cream cheese, ⅓ cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch together on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a couple times to make sure it's mixed well.
- Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each additon.
Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining sugar, then the vanilla. - Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in the cream just until completely blended. Do not overmix.
- Scrape the batter out of the bowl and pour it over the crust. Wrap the sides of the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil.
- Place the cake pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes halfway (about 1 inch) up the side of the springform. Bake until the edge is light golden brown, the top is light gold, and the center barely jiggles for about 1¼ hours.
- If the cake seems soft all across the top, let it bake for 10 minutes more. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer it to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours. Chill until cold.
- When cheesecake is cold, make the ganache topping. Heat cream just to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Let sit for 2 mins and stir smooth. Pour over cooled cheesecake and chill overnight.
- To make chocolate-covered strawberries, melt the chocolate melts according to package instructions. Dip into chocolate and place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and let rest until chocolate hardens (you may need to refrigerate if using real chocolate).
- Drizzle the opposite colored chocolate across the berries if desired (drizzle dark chocolate dipped berries with white chocolate and drizzle white chocolate dipped berries with dark chocolate).
- Garnish dessert with the chocolate-dipped strawberries.
Notes
*This would be delicious with a thinner layer of ganache if desired. Just use 1 cup of heavy cream and only 6 ounces of semi sweet chocolate to make your ganache.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 638Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 28gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 138mgSodium: 276mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 2gSugar: 41gProtein: 7g
Hugs & Cookies XOXO – Facebook – Pinterest – Twitter – Instagram
43 Comments on “Ganache Topped Cheesecake”
I realized this is my fourth year in a row I’ve been making this cake. Found it online one day 4 years ago, immediately baked it and it was my first time ever making a cheesecake. Now for the past four years it is requested by all my friends and family members for me to make it for holidays and such. Everyone absolutely loves it! I just made it again for a friend get together today!
Thanks for letting me know, Katherine!! I’m so glad you and your friends and family love it, too!!! Happy holidays to you and yours.
Thanks so much for letting me know, Katherine! I’m glad it was such a big hit with your family and friends 🙂
I have baked my cheesecake and let it cool overnight. It’s still in the springform pan. I did slide a knife around the pan before putting it in the refrigerator and will do that before I get it out of the pan. I’m new to baking cheesecakes. I didn’t see when to remove the cheesecake from the springform pan – before or after putting the ganache on? I’m leaning toward ganache on while cheesecake in pan. Then cool then use knife again. Then remove springform pan.
Hi, Holly! Keep the cheesecake in the pan when you pour on the ganache otherwise it will drip down the sides. Chill overnight so the ganache solidifies and then you can remove it from the pan. I hope that helps!
Used 16 oz of dark chocolate instead of 12. Because 2 cups of heavy cream and 12 oz was absolutely not a good ratio. Not even sure if the 16oz will be. They were bars and i chopped them up for easy melting. Throwing it in the freezer to see if it’ll set up. But as of right now. My hope is not the greatest. Just my 2 cents to anyone that tries this. Maybe figure your own ganache ratios prior to doing it as a final step.
Hoping this isn’t ruined now.
I’m sorry the ganache was a problem for you. The recipe comes from my friend, Danielle, who used the same ratio successfully Cheesecake with Ganache (https://hugsandcookiesxoxo.com/ganache-cheesecake-with-ganache-cheesecake-with-strawberries/) and my videographer did as well. So it can work. I wish I could figure out what happened, but I don’t have a reason it works for most, but not 100%.
This was beautiful until I cut it. And because the cheesecake Hass to be refrigerated they cannot get hard like magic shell. How can I make a ganache that does get hard and crack when I cut the cheesecake? It has to be refrigerated. I would really appreciate an answer to my question. Thank you.
Hi, Karen, I use a very hot knife blade to slice through the ganache when it’s cold—that might work if you find a nice hard topping. I will boil water, then dip and dry the knife so the blade is very hot. Ganache, in my experience, is always soft. You may have to google homemade magic shell and use that recipe.
P.S. I’ve never made a topping that’s hard enough to crack, but I’ll let you know if I find one!
Could I add chopped hazelnuts into the crust and filling or would that altar anything in the recipe ?
Hi, Yesenia, It’s definitely fine to add hazelnuts to the crust and filling, Just so you know, since I haven’t tested this, the hazelnuts may sink to the bottom of the cheesecake when you bake it. BUT the filling is pretty dense so they may stay in place. Sounds like a delicious addition. Let me know how it goes!
This cheesecake comes out beautifully!! One of the best cheesecakes that I have ever made! I will say that I also had the same problem with the ganache being too thin, but I was not able to find the chocolate in bar form and had to get chips. This may be the issue. I added an extra bag of chips to get the desired thickness, if anyone else is in a bind and needs to fix it in a pinch. This is for my daughter’s birthday. I know she will love it! Thanks!
I’m so glad and thanks for the tip about the ganache! Hope your daughter has a terrific birthday!!!
I am so very disappointedi n the results of my ganache . I was a little hesitant in the ratio for cream to chocolate but decided your cake was just what i wanted mine to look like. I did use Nestle semi-sweet morsels, as it is what I most always use. But it isn’t thickening at all. It is like a thin syrup. I don’t know how to fix this, do you have any suggestions. I even decided to forgo my usual microwave method and heat heavy whipping cream on the stove. Please help if you can.
Margaret
Hmmm…this is a tried and true recipe as my videographer used my recipe without a hitch (and I got the recipe from a blogger friend.). So my best guess would be too much cream. I’d take half the mixture, add more chocolate, and gently melt. It’s a very thick layer of ganache and I don’t think anyone would notice if you had a thinner layer. Hope that helps!!
P.S. I didn’t think it would make any difference, but my friend said to use bars not chips. But I’d still try to save what you have by adding more chocolate chips. https://hugsandcookiesxoxo.com/ganache-cheesecake-with-ganache-cheesecake-with-strawberries/ (https://hugsandcookiesxoxo.com/ganache-cheesecake-with-ganache-cheesecake-with-strawberries/)
Hi,
I don’t have a springform pan at the moment, so I am baking in a large pie dish. Is the water bath still necessary?
Thanks,
Alisha
It should be fine as the ganache covers up any potential cracks. Hope you enjoy!
Hey Liz, this sounds wonderful! Do you think it would be ok to half the entire recipe? I prefer thinner layers of cheesecake and ganache. Can’t wait to make this.
Hi, Bee,
Yes, the ganache will definitely be fine. With the cheesecake, you’ll have to watch it and pull it out when the top is just set or when there’s just a slight jiggle in the very center. It will take less time, maybe 45 minutes. It might be wise to decrease the oven temp to 325 as well. Hope this helps—I haven’t tested this, but fingers my fingers will be crossed for you!
It was absolute agony having to wait overnight for the cheesecake to set, but man was it worth it. This is my new favourite cheesecake recipe. The richness of the ganache evens out the sweetness of the cheesecake perfectly. Wonderful dessert Liz, thanks so much.
I’m so glad you loved this cheesecake, Bee! Thanks so much for reporting back!
I made this and it was HEAVENLY. Crust is delightful, and not too thick. Cheesecake has perfect texture and creaminess. Ganache is somewhat overpowering (I am a chocolate lover and made it with the original recipe). Next time will make the thinner layer suggested in the notes.
Thank you for this recipe, Liz!
So glad you enjoyed, Mina!! Yes, there is a LOT of ganache…too much for me, but my husband and girlfriends reassured me they loved it!! Thanks for your kind review.
Does is say how long to cook the cheesecake? Am i missing it???
Hi, Jackie! It’s there, but amidst lots of instructions 🙂 I’ve copied it here for you: Bake until the edge is light golden brown, the top is light gold, and the center barely jiggles, about 1¼ hours.
Hope you enjoy! This is a winner 🙂
Is the temperature of the oven the same like the crust if you bake the cheesecake?
Yes, Aileen. Bake the cheesecake at 350 degrees as well. I’ve edited the recipe to make it more clear. Hope you enjoy!!
You do realize, don’t you, that you sorta went overboard with the coffee menu. Right? Of course you sent some goodies home with your friends. (If I’d have been invited I would have brought my cooler and checked out your freezer.) I have decided that I I ever need to go to a desert island, (and that may be sooner than we think) I am going to be plugged into your site. You have all my food needs covered plus the exact ways to do and not to do.
Anything with cheese makes me drool! xoxo
This is one fantastic dessert Liz! I could seriously hurt myself on a few slices of this dreamy cake. Bravo!!!
Love cheesecake and love ganache. Haven’t put them together — can’t believe that! But I will. Great looking recipe, and love all the highlights on the ganache in the photos. Good stuff — thanks.
Liz, I am that person who can’t decide between cheesecake and chocolate so YAY! The cheesecake looks so creamy and I’m so drooling over that thick layer of ganache!
So irresistibly PERFECT this cake is!!! I would want to devour the ENTIRE cake. NOT just one slice 😉
Not only is this cake mouthwatering, it’s picture perfect (reminds me of a tuxedo)! I love the idea of pairing rich, chocolate ganache with creamy cheesecake. Looks heavenly, Liz!
Wow Liz, this cheesecake looks so good…I would love a big slice of it…thanks for the recipe.
Have a great week!
I have never been a big fan of cheesecake, but i certainly am going to try your recipe, it looks divine !!
Liz, it looks perfect! Now I have to remake it with the chocolate crumbs! Even prettier!!!
I’m virtually gaining weight just by looking @ that delicious dessert and caring less about how many calories it has. I just want it! 🙂
Oh wow this looks soooooooo good!! And how cool you have a print out recipe feature!
Allie of
www.allienyc.com
This dessert is the best of both worlds. Perfect for any chocolate lover and cheesecake lover. I think I am in love!
That ganache looks heavenly!
I agree with Angie… Look at that amazing layer of ganache-yum:@)
o my…look at that thick layer of ganache! Decadent and divine!