Chocolate Chip Pecan Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 3/4 cups crushed chocolate wafers
• 24 ounces ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 whole eggs
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces good semisweet chocolate, broken
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans (garnish)
• 3 ounces grated semisweet chocolate (garnish)

Directions

1. 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. 2 Grease 8 inch spring form pan.
3. 3 Prepare melted butter and combine with chocolate wafer crumbs.
4. 4 Press onto bottom of buttered pan.
5. 5 To prepare the filling, beat the ricotta, maple syrup, eggs in a large bowl.
6. 6 Beat until nice and smooth.
7. 7 Bring whipping cream to a low boil and stir int the broken chocolate.
8. 8 Remove from heat and melt completely.
9. 9 Cool slightly.
10. 10 Blend into the cheese mixture.
11. 11 Stir in the 3/4 cup chopped pecans.
12. 12 Pour into prepared crust.
13. 13 Place in preheated oven and bake 45 minutes, or until set.
14. 14 Cool thoroughly on a wire rack and then wrap and chill.
15. 15 Remove rim just before serving, and place nuts around outer edge, and sprinkle with grated chocolate and powdered icing sugar.