IN THE KITCHEN

Decadent Chocolate Truffle with Sweet Raspberry Crème

RECIPE & PHOTO JIM NORTON

Just because it’s the new year and a lot of us have weight loss goals doesn’t mean we should deprive ourselves of some of the most delicious things…like a little chocolate! Here’s my go- to recipe for a decadent chocolate dessert guests always fall in love with!

INGREDIENTS:

Crust: 2 cups crushed chocolate graham crackers 6 Tbsp. melted butter

Filling: 1 cup milk chocolate chips 2 8-oz. blocks cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla

Raspberry Crème: 1 cup frozen raspberries 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 2 Tbsp. sugar

thenortonrecipe.com Facebook @thenortonrecipe Instagram @thejimnorton DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9-inch round springform pan. Set aside. In a medium bowl add crushed graham crackers and melted butter. Stir to incorporate. Press mixture evenly and firmly into the prepared pan and bake for 8 mins. Remove and allow to cool completely.

For the filling, melt chocolate in microwave at 30-second intervals. Stir between each until chocolate is smooth. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and beat to incorporate well. Stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Pour mixture into cooled crust and smooth evenly. Bake approximately 35 mins or until the center is just set. Remove from the oven and cool. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. This is best when made the day before and allowed to refrigerate overnight.

For the crème, simply add the frozen raspberries, cream and sugar to a blender. Blend on high until smooth. You may need to add a bit more cream to thin the mixture as you want it to be thick but pourable. Store in refrigerator.

To assemble: Slice in desired sizes and place on individual plates. To garnish, top with a large dollop or two of raspberry crème, a few fresh raspberries and a mint leaf. Enjoy!