Coffee Chocolate Cheesecake

Before starting, allow cream cheese to sit out until it reaches room temperature. Dissolve coffee in the boiling water, and let sit to cool.

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Spray an 8-inch springform pan with light cooking spray. Prepare crust in the springform pan and allow it to cool.

Beat cream cheese on low speed until very smooth. Add sugar, cornstarch and kosher salt. Mix on low until well combined. Be sure to scrape the bowl halfway through mixing.

With the mixer on low, add eggs and yolks, one at a time. Allow each to incorporate before adding the next. Scrape the bowl.

With mixer on low, slowly add heavy cream, milk and prepared coffee. Scrape sides and continue mixing until uniform in color. Any clumps that won’t mix in should be removed at this point. If you were careful with mixing and scraping, there shouldn’t be any.

Spread mini chocolate chips evenly over the cooled graham crust. Gently pour cheesecake mixture over the crust. It’s ok if the chocolate moves around a little. If you pour too fast, it will pile the chips on only one spot.

Bake cheesecake at 400ºF for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 250ºF and allow cheesecake to continue baking for 60 minutes. The cheesecake is done when fully set.

Allow cheesecake to cool before removing the sides of the springform pan. First, pop open the latch on the pan, then gently loosen the cheesecake from the edges with a butter knife before removing the outer ring. Take an offset spatula to gently loosen the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan before sliding onto a serving plate.

Serve cold or room temperature. Store in the refrigerator. Cheesecake will keep for several days refrigerated or freeze and defrost on the counter before serving.