Crust:
8 1/2 oz chocolate wafer cookies
6 tbsp butter
Filling:
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
12 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
16 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whipping cream, well-chilled (I use heavy whipping cream.)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Kirsch
Chocolate curls (optional)
Topping:
1 pound frozen unsweetened cherries, thawed
1/4 cup Kirsch
1/4 cup (about) Morello cherry syrup or sour cherry syrup
Crust:
Generously butter 9-inch springform pan. Finely crush cookies
in processor, blend in butter. Press crumbs into bottom of pan
and up sides to 3/4 inch from top. Refrigerate crust for at least
30 minutes.
Filling:
Heat 1 1/2 cups cream with chocolate in heavy medium saucepan
over low heat until chocolate melts, stirring constantly. Cool
10 minutes. Beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar until smooth.
Beat in eggs 1 at a time until just combined. Beat in chocolate
mixture, then remaining 10 tablespoons cherry liquid and vanilla.
Pour into crust. Bake at 325º for 1 1/4 hours (top may crack).
Cool completely on rack. Top pan with paper towels and cover tightly
with foil. Refrigerate 1 to 2 days. Remove foil, paper towels
and pan sides from cake. Spread cherry topping over cake. Beat
remaining 1 cup cream with 2 tablespoons sugar and Kirsch to peaks.
Spoon into center of cake. Top with chocolate curls if desired.
(Can be prepared 2 hours ahead and refrigerated.) Let stand at
room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.
Topping:
Soak undrained cherries and Kirsch in small bowl 6 hours. Thoroughly
drain cherries in strainer set over medium bowl, shaking occasionally,
at least two hours. Reserve liquid. Add enough Morello cherry
syrup to cherry liquid to measure 1 cup. Pour 6 tablespoons into
heavy 8-inch skillet (reserve remaining liquid for filling). Halve
cherries and add to skillet. Boil until syrup is thickened and
mixture resembles preserves, about 6 minutes. (Can be prepared
2 days ahead. Chill.)