Hot Fudge Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup butter melted
• 0.8 cup butter 
• 8 ounce cream cheese softened
• 3 large eggs 
• 5 servings fudge sauce hot
• 5 servings garnish: mint sprigs fresh
• 1 cup saltines crushed
• 6 ounce bittersweet chocolate 
• 0.8 cup sugar 
• 3 tablespoons sugar 
• 0.5 cup walnuts finely chopped

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• wire rack
• hand mixer
• springform pan

Directions

1. Combine first 4 ingredients; stir well. Firmly press onto bottom and 2 1/2" up sides of a lightly greased 7" springform pan.
2. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.
3. Remove to a wire rack; let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 30
4. Combine chocolate squares and 3/4 cup butter in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture is melted and smooth, stirring frequently.
5. Remove from heat and let cool.
6. Beat cream cheese at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy.
7. Add 3/4 cup sugar; beat well.
8. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in cooled chocolate mixture.
9. Pour into prepared crust.
10. Bake at 300 for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until almost set. Turn oven off.
11. Let cheesecake cool in oven 30 minutes.
12. Remove to a wire rack; let cool to room temperature.
13. Remove sides of pan.
14. Serve cheesecake with Hot Fudge Sauce.
15. Garnish, if desired.