Glenda Peirsol | Pedernales EC

Chocolate + Amaretto + Raspberries? Sign me up! This cheesecake can be enjoyed all year. It’s perfect for date night, Valentine’s Day, entertaining or a girls’ night in.

—Vianney Rodriguez, Food Editor

Cheesecake
1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate cookies or chocolate graham crackers
3 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each), softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cottage cheese
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup amaretto, or 2 teaspoons almond extract
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Frosting
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup raspberry jam
1 pint raspberries

1. Cheesecake Preheat oven to 315 degrees. Coat bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle crushed cookie crumbs on bottom of pan.

2. Beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar, cottage cheese, cocoa powder, flour, amaretto or almond extract, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

3. Slowly pour mixture over crumbs in prepared pan. Bake on middle rack 75 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool on a rack and refrigerate overnight.

4. Frosting In a large bowl, stir together melted butter and cocoa powder until evenly mixed. Add in powdered sugar and milk. Beat on low until smooth and easily spread. Stir in vanilla.

5. Run a knife around edge of cheesecake to separate from springform pan, then remove side wall. Gently run a knife between bottom crust and base of pan to separate cheesecake. Place on a cake stand or serving platter.

6. Spread raspberry jam on top, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edge. Pipe frosting to make a border around the top and bottom of cheesecake. Top with raspberries.

Serves 12.