3/4 cup cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (about 4 whole crackers)
3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, divided
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
FILLING:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup maple syrup, divided
3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
TOPPING:
2 cups sweetened whipped cream
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Wrap a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square) around a greased 9-in. springform pan. Combine cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup walnuts and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto bottom and 1 in. up sides of prepared pan and place on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
2. In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a boil. Pour over chocolate; whisk until smooth. Cool.
3. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add next 5 ingredients and 2 tablespoons maple syrup; beat until well blended. Add eggs; beat on low speed until combined. Pour over prepared crust, reserving 3 tablespoons of batter. Mix reserved cheesecake batter into cooled chocolate; drop spoonfuls over filling. Cut through batter and chocolate with a knife to swirl.
4. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake until center is just set but still jiggles when shaken, 50-65 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled.
5. Remove rim from pan. Serve with whipped cream. Sprinkle with remaining walnuts; drizzle with remaining syrup.
Searching for a dessert superstar? This chocolate swirl cheesecake is the one that people ask for again and again.
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 30 min. Bake: 50 min. + chilling YIELD: 16 servings.
Nutrition Facts
1 slice: 936 calories, 75g fat (40g saturated fat), 267mg cholesterol, 613mg sodium, 57g carbohydrate (47g sugars, 2g fiber), 14g protein.