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Instant Pot German Chocolate Cheesecake

Instant Pot German Chocolate Cheesecake on a white plate with chocolate drizzle

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4.8 from 5 reviews

Sweet chocolate cheesecake topped with coconut pecan frosting and drizzled with a dark chocolate ganache, this Instant Pot German Chocolate Cheesecake is a shining star in the cheesecake world!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Crust

  • 1 cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Cheesecake Filling

  • 2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 6 oz German or bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled until just slightly warm

For the Coconut Pecan Frosting

  • 2 egg yolks
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ cup evaporated milk
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • â…” cup flaked coconut
  • ½ cup chopped pecans

For the Chocolate Ganache

  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Spray a 7 inch spring form pan with nonstick cooking spray.  Optional: Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper for easy removal of the cake once it’s done.  
  2. Stir cookie crumbs and melted butter together and press evenly across the bottom and one third of the way up the sides of the pan.  Place in the freezer to set while you make the cheesecake filling.
  3. To make cheesecake filling: Cream the cream cheese with a handheld mixer on low speed until very smooth, scrape the bowl and mix again.  
  4. Add sugar, salt, vanilla, and cocoa powder; mix until smooth, scraping the sides at least once to make sure everything is well incorporated.
  5. Add eggs, use hand mixer to barely combine, about 5 seconds, then stir in the rest of the way with a spatula.
  6. Finally, add the melted and cooled chocolate and use a spatula to mix just until incorporated. 
  7. Remove the pan from the freezer and fill with the chocolate mixture.
  8. Add 1 1/2 cups of water to the pressure cooker pot and place trivet inside.  
  9. Carefully lower the prepared pan onto the trivet. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position.  Cook at high pressure for 35 minutes.
  10. When pressure cooking is complete, use a 10-minute natural release and then release any remaining pressure.  
  11. Remove pan from pressure cooker and let cool to room temperature.  
  12. Slowly remove the springform ring, being careful not to break the crust (I remove the ring because it allows the crust to dry out and be more crisp instead of soft.  You can leave it on while it chills if you prefer)    
  13. Place cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to chill all the way through.
  14. Once the cheesecake is cooled, prepare the Coconut Pecan Frosting by combining egg yolks, sugar, milk, butter and vanilla in a small saucepan.  Cook and stir constantly over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes.
  15. Remove from heat, add coconut and pecans, stir vigorously until well incorporated and silky.
  16. Top cheesecake with Coconut Pecan Frosting.  Return cheesecake to fridge.
  17. To make Chocolate Ganache, place chocolate chips in a small, heat safe bowl and set aside.  
  18. Pour heavy cream into a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a light simmer. Pour hot cream over the chocolate chips and cover.  
  19. After 3 minutes, uncover and whisk the chocolate mixture vigorously until smooth and shiny.
  20. Let cool to thicken slightly, then drizzle over the Coconut Pecan Frosting.  Can be served immediately or chilled a bit longer to set the ganache. This cake is also delicious made one day in advance.
  21. For best flavor and texture let it sit at room temperature for about an hour before serving.

Notes

  • Cheesecake always tastes better the second day, plan ahead if possible
  • This cake tastes best after sitting at room temperature for at least an hour so the frosting and ganache can soften a bit
  • Always use room temperature eggs and cream cheese for a smooth cream cheese filling
  • It’s important not to incorporate a lot of air into the batter when you stir in the eggs.  Overbeaten eggs cause the batter to overflow while cooking
  • There will be plenty of ganache, use extra to dip strawberries