CHOCOLATE ORANGE CHEESECAKE

This cheesecake takes over an hour but most of that time is spent in the oven baking. It goes together quickly.

Crust:
1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp butter, melted

Combine above ingredients and press onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.

Filling:
4 (8-oz each) Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
2 tbsp orange flavored liqueur
1/2 tsp grated orange peel

Combine the cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the sour cream and vanilla.

Blend the chocolate chips into 3 cups of the batter. Blend the orange liqueur and orange peel into the remaining batter. Pour the chocolate batter over the crust and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Spoon the orange batter over the chocolate layer and continue baking 30 minutes.

Loosen cake from the rim of the pan; cool before removing the rim. Chill before serving.

Garnish cake with chocolate curls, if desired.

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NOTE: This is a Philadelphia Cream Cheese Recipe that I have had since the 1980s.