Dark Chocolate Blueberry Ricotta Cheesecake

I have no pictures. I would, but I sent half of it home with my best friend. I made it for her birthday. Her favorite thing in the world is blueberries and she really loves when I make cheesecake, so I made this for her. If you've never made a cheesecake before, I'd suggest that you not make this one the first one. The texture is very creamy. The toppings mean it'll look good even if it cracks, and I've never managed to make an uncracked cheesecake.

Dark Chocolate Blueberry Ricotta Cheesecake
Servings: 12 [generous]

Ingredient List
Crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, or similar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
Filling:
1 carton (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 boxes (8 oz each) cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sour cream topping:
16 oz carton sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fruit topping:
8 oz jar blueberry preserves
4 oz blueberries, washed
Chocolate ganache:
1/3 cup whipping cream
8 oz dark chocolate morsels
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan.
Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until crust is lightly browned around the edges. Cool on a wire rack.
Make half the chocolate ganache by mixing approximately 1/2 cup dark chocolate morsels and just under 1/4 cup whipping cream in a small microwave-proof bowl and microwaving the mixture in 20-second intervals until the morsels begin to melt. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is smooth. Spread over the flat surface of the crust.
In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the ricotta and cream cheese on medium speed for 1 minute or until creamy. Add sugar; beat for 1 minute. Add eggs, beating after each, until just combined. Beat in flour and vanilla. Pour into crust. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until center is almost set.
In a small bowl stir together the sour cream, 1/4 cup sugar, and teaspoon of vanilla until smooth. Spread over the top of the cheesecake. Bake at 325 for 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 15 minutes with the door ajar. Remove from oven. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen; cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight.
Remove sides of the springform pan. Melt 3/4 cup blueberry preserves in a small saucepan on low heat until preserves are thinner. Add blueberries, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Pour over the cheesecake.
Make the other half of the chocolate ganache. Either spoon the mixture into a piping bag or into a ziplock, cutting off a small corner of the bag, and pipe over the blueberry topping, or drizzle the ganache over the top of the cake.
Refrigerate leftovers.

Dark Chocolate Blueberry Ricotta Cheesecake

I have no pictures. I would, but I sent half of it home with my best friend. I made it for her birthday. Her favorite thing in the world is blueberries and she really loves when I make cheesecake, so I made this for her. If you've never made a cheesecake before, I'd suggest that you not make this one the first one. The texture is very creamy. The toppings mean it'll look good even if it cracks, and I've never managed to make an uncracked cheesecake.

Dark Chocolate Blueberry Ricotta Cheesecake
Servings: 12 [generous]

Ingredient List
Crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, or similar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
Filling:
1 carton (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 boxes (8 oz each) cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sour cream topping:
16 oz carton sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fruit topping:
8 oz jar blueberry preserves
4 oz blueberries, washed
Chocolate ganache:
1/3 cup whipping cream
8 oz dark chocolate morsels
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan.
Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes or until crust is lightly browned around the edges. Cool on a wire rack.
Make half the chocolate ganache by mixing approximately 1/2 cup dark chocolate morsels and just under 1/4 cup whipping cream in a small microwave-proof bowl and microwaving the mixture in 20-second intervals until the morsels begin to melt. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is smooth. Spread over the flat surface of the crust.
In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the ricotta and cream cheese on medium speed for 1 minute or until creamy. Add sugar; beat for 1 minute. Add eggs, beating after each, until just combined. Beat in flour and vanilla. Pour into crust. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until center is almost set.
In a small bowl stir together the sour cream, 1/4 cup sugar, and teaspoon of vanilla until smooth. Spread over the top of the cheesecake. Bake at 325 for 7 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 15 minutes with the door ajar. Remove from oven. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen; cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight.
Remove sides of the springform pan. Melt 3/4 cup blueberry preserves in a small saucepan on low heat until preserves are thinner. Add blueberries, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Pour over the cheesecake.
Make the other half of the chocolate ganache. Either spoon the mixture into a piping bag or into a ziplock, cutting off a small corner of the bag, and pipe over the blueberry topping, or drizzle the ganache over the top of the cake.
Refrigerate leftovers.