- 2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
- 6 tablespoons butter (no substitutes), melted
- Cheesecake:
- 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 4 (1 ounce) squares white baking chocolate, melted and cooled
- 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained, rinsed and quartered
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- Topping:
- 3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
- 2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons shortening
- 1/2 (1 ounce) square white baking chocolate
- In a bowl, combine chocolate crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Stir in melted chocolate; mix well. Gently fold in cherries and pecans. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove side of pan. In a saucepan, melt semisweet chocolate, butter and 1 teaspoon shortening until smooth. Cool for 2 minutes; pour over cheesecake. Spread over the top and let it run down the sides. Cool. In a small saucepan, melt white chocolate and remaining shortening. Drizzle over the top. Cool. Store in the refrigerator.