Chocolate Cheesecake Truffles

I wanted to bake a chocolate cheesecake for my hubby's birthday and found this recipe at allrecipes.com and thought it seems simple enough to do.  I half the original recipes as I just wanted a small cake that is not too much for the family.  I think I might have overbaked the cheesecake as it was rather hard and dense when we cut it.  Hubby say it was a little too rich for him.  I also think so too.  Well, after trying cheesecake made with condensed milk, yoghurt and whipped cream, I think I still like the cheesecake that is made with whipped cream best, it has the right consistency and texture that I like.  Now that I have tried out different type of cheesecake, my next target is to make chocolate cake (non-cheesecake).



Oh, I also tried making a ganache for the toppings of the cake and I must say it tasted really really good.  Will use this recipe for my other cakes again. Well, here's the recipe for the cheesecake and ganache:


Ingredients & Directions

For the Cheesecake 

• 150 grm Digestive Biscuits (the original recipe called for 18 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies for a 9 inch pan) finely crushed
  
• 60 grm butter, melted (the original recipe was 2 tablespoons butter)
  
• 1.5 (8 ounce per packet) packages PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/2 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 (12 ounce) package BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks, melted, slightly cooled (I use vanhouten dark eating chocolate instead)
  
• 1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur (optional) - I skipped this as I don't have any
  
• 2 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F if using silver 6-inch springform pan (or to 275 degrees F if using dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Set aside.
2. Beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
3. Bake 1 hour 5 min. to 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator. 

For the Ganache

• 1 cups semisweet chocolate chips (I used vanhouten eating chocolate instead)
  
• 1 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Place chocolate chips in a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer. Pour the cream into a saucepan, and bring to a boil. As soon as the cream boils up to the top of the pan, quickly remove it from the heat, and pour it over the chips. Let stand for a minute or two, then stir with a whisk, or use the paddle attachment for the mixer, to mix until smooth. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl occasionally. Stir in the vanilla until well blended. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface, and allow to cool at room temperature, or in the refrigerator.