Fudge Truffle Valentines Day Cheesecake

Prep: 25 mins l Bake time: 65 mins l Chill time: 4 hours l Servings: 16

15-18 vanilla wafers
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
7 Tblsp butter, melted (BUTTER not margarine)
3 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips, melted
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 300*.

2. Crush/process vanilla wafers to yeild about 1 1/2 cups crumbs. Combine crubs, cocoa, granulated sugar and butter in a medium bowl and mix well. Press onto the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

3. Place cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer set at high speed until light and fluffy.

4. Add condensed milk gradually to cream cheese in bowl, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate, eggs and vanilla extract and beat well. Spoon mixture over the baked layer.

5. Bake cheesecake until set, about 65 mins. Cool to room temperature. Chill 4 hours or longer. Loosen cheesecake from sides of pan. Remove sides of pan.

Optional Strawberry Syrup

Pour 3 cups sugar over 3 cups sliced strawberries and let them stand for 8 hours. Then boil mixture for 5 minutes. Let the mixture cool and then repeat the boiling process for a second time. Strain the berries out for later use. Can the hot syrup in hot sterilized jars and process in a hot water bath. Use berries on ice cream or short cake.