If you’re starting to think about Valentine’s Day desserts or if you just like chocolate cheesecake, here’s a chocolate cheesecake for two. I came up with this a few years ago and have had fun trying different variations. Sometimes I make it with a cookie dough crust (like in the picture) and other times I use graham crackers.
To make this, you need a “petite” loaf pan. I use one that looks like this, but you can use any brand so long as it measures about 6 x 3 x 2 (doesn’t have to be precise).
What’s fun about making cheesecakes in small loaf pans is unlike a springform pan, you don’t have to deal with wrapping the pan in foil to keep it from leaking in a water bath. You can also cut the rectangular cake into two neat squares and plate them creatively. This recipe serves two, but it doubles quite easily to serve 4. In fact, I usually double what’s below, make two petite loaf pans and freeze one for another time.
I sometimes use ready-made cookie dough rounds. Press 3 rounds into the loaf pan and bake for 15 minutes. Proceed as directed with chocolate mixture.
Recipe
Chocolate Cheesecake for Two
Ingredients
- ½ cup graham cracker crumbs 6 squares, crushed
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- ½ cup 3 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg white room temp
Topping:
- ½ to ⅔ cup sweetened fresh whipped cream or whipped topping
- Fresh strawberries or raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line inside of a petite loaf pan with non-stick aluminum foil, leaving a small overhang for lifting.
- Mix together crumbs, sugar and butter; press mixture into bottom of the lined pan.
- Using microwave or double boiler, melt the chocolate chips In a medium size (2 quart) mixing bowl, combine melted chocolate and cream cheese; beat until well mixed. Beat in sugar and vanilla extract. Add egg white and stir until smooth.
- Spoon chocolate batter over graham cracker crust; Place the mini loaf pan in a square pan (8 or 9 inch) and pour warm water into the square pan so that it comes halfway up side of the loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Remove loaf pan from water and let cool to room temperature – about an hour. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for 3 or more hours. About an hour before serving, spread whipped cream over top of cheesecake.
- When ready to serve, grasp foil and carefully lift the cheesecake from pan. Place on a cutting board and slice into two square pieces. Place each piece on a dish and top with fresh strawberries.
- Serves 2 (1 loaf, divided in half)
- Some Notes:
nana says
This sounds like a great recipe, but I discovered that petite loaf pans are hard to find (even in a large metropolitan area) and have to be ordered online or from a merchant, unless they are attached ones that make four to nine loaves at a time. The smallest loaf pan I could find on short notice was 8x4x3, so I plan to make the cheesecake anyway and bake it for a little less time. It sounds like the perfect new year's treat for my boyfriend and me.
Echo says
my final result:
outstanding, made with milk chocolate, and a few chips of white, still needed to bake another five minutes, came out tasting like cold, slightly underset chocolate fudge...fudge being my all time favorite belly buster, so thats high praise from me, next time will be perfect...
now..for something gross...i want to make a cheese meal cake, cottage cheese is basically the same thing as paneer cheese, so, does anyone happen to know if there is a recipe for palak paneer cheesecake? preferably SF/FF
Anna says
Hi Echo,
I hope you got my email. It sounds like those cold berries lengthened the cook time. I'll be anxious to hear what your mom thinks.
Echo says
another five minutes did the trick, im making this for my mommy cause she was craving some berries, and it is impossibly hard to find a single serving cheesecake recipe, i also made it with milk chocolate instead of dark, she hates dark, and while i adore it, im not making this for me...on closer inspection i dont think i added enough berries, also, i used the cookie crust, sugar cookie...bad idea, i think its going to be too hard, but i will be sure to let you know how she likes it and it all turns out, and sorry for screwing around with your recipe while im at it
Echo says
well, ive done something wrong, still in the midst of cooking, but...its still way to wobbly to take out of the oven yet...maybe i didnt get the water for the bath hot enough, this is my first ever cheesecake mind..but if i take it now ill have cream cheese chocolate sauce...i also added some berries, no method, just about a hand full, and they wernt all good and warm, that could have slowed the bake time as well, set the timer for another 20 minutes, will check in 10..
Anna says
Hi Courtney,
It's actually better the second day, so your plan is a good one. If you are using Cool Whip, you might as well put the Cool Whip on before freeze it. When it's frozen, it you can get a cleaner cut.
courtney says
I'm totally trying this one for v-day! Looks dee-lish! I'm going to do the cookie dough crust...sounds fantastic. One question, if I'm going to make it the day before I would just do everything but the whipped topping and do that at the last minute, right? And it sounds like I would wait to take it out of the pan until the last minute, too...right?! Thanks for the great recipe!
AmyS says
Looks like another fabulous recipe! I can't wait to try it.
If you get a chance, please peek in on my blog today - I've posted my list of You Make My Day awardees.
Muffy says
Well, that'll take care of MY Valentine's dessert. Wonder what my husband will eat?
Therese says
Okay, I have done it. I have actually licked the screen on my computer! Cheesecake..chocolate is my all-time fav!!
I really didn't lick the screen...but, I wanted to!! I so appreciate the smaller scaled versions on your recipes. Not that I would have a hard time eating more than 1 piece. Perhaps a smidgen...tee hee!
Anna says
I think I'll try to scale down some other flavors of cheesecake. Nigella's "London Cheesecake" is a good one. A Chocolate Chip Cheesecake would be pretty easy to do too.
Another idea is to make the cheesecake in a regular size loaf pan. I think a doubled version of this would fit in a small loaf pan 8x4 or 9x5. I'm not really sure. The cook time is what's tricky to nail down.
Cakelaw says
This looks delicious - I think I could easily eat both servings myself!
Tara says
I don't know why I never thought of making a two serving cheesecake! Total genius! That way you don't have to wait for a family reunion to make one! My favorite cheesecake is chocolate chip cookiedough. It has a cookie crust just like you suggest for this one. Maybe I can make a two serving version of it!
Chelsea says
I LOVE cheesecake, AND chocolate! This is perfect, thank you for posting! 😉
Ashley says
A cookie dough crust for cheesecake sounds SO good! Thanks so much for adding me to your blogroll! Just to let you know though, my blog isn't vegan - it's vegetarian. 🙂
Average Jane Crafter says
Drooooooollllll ....
😉
Have I ever told you about my cheesecake obsession? Sigh.
PS - I actually made some cookies for YOU today! I was going to deliver them when I picked up AK, but I'll have to bring them another time. 🙂