Great Combination!

Some things just seem to go together. Let's see how you would fill in these blanks:

Desi & ____________
Black & ___________
Abbott & ___________
Bacon & ___________
Salt & ____________

(compare your answers with mine below)

Great combinations just work. One compliments the other and makes it better. One of my favorite combinations is chocolate and raspberries, which is why this chocolate raspberry cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts. Florence, a dear friend from one of our congregations, made this for us several years ago and was kind enough to share the recipe with me. I have made this many times and it's always a big hit.

The recipe calls for a chocolate graham cracker crust. I often opt to buy a Keebler's chocolate crust but this weekend when I made this, I wanted to make my own crust because they are so much better. I had regular graham cracker crumbs. I searched online for a recipe for a chocolate graham cracker crust but all the recipes I found called for chocolate graham crackers which I didn't have. I had regular graham cracker crumbs so I decided to try adding two tablespoons of cocoa to my regular graham cracker crust recipe and it worked out perfectly. I loved the taste of it better than any other chocolate crust I have had. So I now have a keeper!

For the filling, you can either use fresh or frozen raspberries. I prefer to use fresh because they don't make the crust soggy like frozen raspberries will after a day or so in the refrigerator. If I do use frozen, I put them on the cooled crust frozen. They do have a tendency to float when you add the filling but this actually helps because it lifts them off the crust and into the filling.

This is a fun pie to garnish. I put a little chocolate syrup on the plate, place a slice of cheesecake on that, top it with the chocolate whipping cream, a raspberry and a white chocolate heart.

So let's try one more combination: Chocolate and ______________. I have a feeling after you try this recipe, you'll fill that blank in with "raspberries!"

(My answers: Lucy, White, Costello, Eggs, Pepper)

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
6 oz. softened cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
3 T. lemon juice
1 t. vanilla
1 c. fresh or frozen raspberries
1 chocolate cookie crust

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Add egg. lemon juice and vanilla and mix well. Place raspberries in prepared crust. Slowly pour cheese mixture over fruit. Bake 30-35 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool thoroughly. Top with chocolate ganache (recipe follows). Chill. Garnish as desired.

Chocolate Ganache
In small saucepan over low heat, melt 2 1-oz. squares semi-sweet chocolate with 1/4 c. whipping cream. Cook and stir until thickened and smooth. Top cheesecake with ganache. Chill.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe.