German Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Cake

• 9 pcs. graham crackers with the addition of cocoa to the dough
• 6 tbsp (90 g) butter at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping

• 200 g sweet coconut flakes (about 2 cups)
• 1.5 cups pecans
• 165 g butter
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1.3 cups of sugar
• 340 gr. concentrated milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Cheesecake

• 230 g chopped dark chocolate
• 700 g of cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 cup of sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation:

1. Position racks in the middle and lower third of the oven and preheat to 170°C.
   
   Take a 22 cm round springform pan and cover the outside (bottom and sides) with foil. Grease the inside of the pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Make the cakeIn a blender, puree the graham crackers, butter, sugar, and salt until moist crumbs form, about 1 minute. Spread the mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing down to form a 1/4-inch (0.6 cm) edge. Bake until crisp, about 15 minutes; remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
3. Prepare the toppingLine 2 baking sheets with foil. Place the coconut on one sheet and the pecans on the other. Bake the coconut and pecans for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown, stirring once or twice during baking; let cool. Pulse the pecans in a blender until coarsely chopped; transfer to a small bowl.
4. Make custardIn a large saucepan, combine the butter, egg yolks, sugar, evaporated milk, and vanilla, adding a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes until the mixture has reduced and caramelized slightly. Stir in the chopped nuts and 1.5 cups of coconut (reserve the remaining coconut for garnish). Let cool.
5. Make the chocolate-cream mixtureFill a deep baking sheet halfway with water and place it on the bottom shelf of the oven. Place the chocolate in the bowl and melt it in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until completely melted. Cool until slightly warm.
   
   Clean the blender, add the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, cocoa powder, and salt, and blend for about 2 minutes until smooth, scraping down the sides. Add the melted chocolate, sour cream, and vanilla extract, and blend again until smooth.
6. Make a cheesecakeSpread half of the chocolate-cream mixture onto the cake layer and smooth it out with a spatula. Next, spread about two-thirds of the custard in an even layer. Spread the remaining chocolate-cream mixture on top and smooth it out. Place the cake on the middle rack of the oven (directly over the baking sheet filled with water).
   
   Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, until the edges are set but the center is still slightly jiggly.
   
   Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight, until the cheesecake is completely chilled and firm.
7. Cover with toppingRun a thin knife around the edge of the cheesecake and remove the rim of the springform pan. Melt the remaining topping in the microwave until soft, about 30 seconds (stir in 1-2 tablespoons of water to soften if needed). Spread over the cheesecake and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.