Chocolate-Peanut Butter Swirl Cheesecake

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F

Step 2

Place cookies in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. You can also crush them in a zip top bag and a rolling pin but the peanut butter filling tends to stick to the bag.

Step 3

Coat a 7 inch x 3 inch removable bottom pan (I use Fat Daddio’s) or spring-form pan with cooking spray. Press cookie crumbs into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan with your fingertips or the bottom of a glass. Bake for 8 minutes. Let crust cool while you prepare the filling (about 10 minutes).

Step 4

Place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat on medium-low speed with a hand mixer until creamy. A stand mixer is more powerful and tends to incorporate too much air in cheesecake. Scrape down sides of bowl.

Step 5

Add sugar and cocoa and beat at medium-low speed until combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.

Step 6

Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium-low speed just until each egg is incorporated.

Step 7

Combine whipping cream and chocolate chips in a glass measuring cup or microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (watts for 40 seconds. Stir until mixture is smooth. It will look like it won’t come together but it will suddenly and be silky smooth. Stir in espresso powder for a more intense chocolate flavor, but it’s not crucial. Add chocolate mixture, sour cream, and vanilla to cream cheese mixture and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated.

Step 8

Microwave on HIGH (1100 watts) peanut butter in a glass measuring cup or microwave safe bowl 16 seconds or until slightly thinner.

Step 9

Spoon half of chocolate filling into the prepared crust. Spoon 3/4 cup of the peanut butter in dollops over the chocolate filling, then spread almost to the edges of the pan. Pour the remaining half of chocolate filling over the peanut butter, spreading it to the edges of the pan. Dollop 1 teaspoon of remaining peanut butter randomly onto the chocolate filling. Run a table knife through the peanut butter but not through to the middle peanut butter layer.

Step 10

Add 1 cup of water to the pot and place the trivet in the bottom of the pot.

Step 11

Wrap a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil by placing it on top of the pan, slightly tenting it so it doesn’t touch the filling. Press the foil down the sides of the pan and around the bottom. Press the pan down on the counter top mashing the foil flat on the bottom.

Step 12

(Optional) Make a “sling” of aluminum foil to help remove the hot pan when finished by folding a 20 inch long piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil in half then in thirds. Place this on top of the trivet that fits inside the 6-quart Instant Pot pan. I don’t have any trouble removing the cheesecake pan with the handles on my trivet but if your brand trivet doesn’t have handles or are hard to reach with potholders, the sling will make it easy to remove. Just fold the ends of the sling over the covered pan.

Step 13

Secure the lid of the Instant Pot. Turn the steam vent to sealing position. Press the Pressure Cook button. Press the -/+ buttons to 50 minutes. In about 5 minutes, the countdown will start.

Step 14

When the cycle ends and it beeps allow it to release pressure naturally. Mine took about 15 minutes for the pin to drop. Do not use Keep Warm setting or it will keep cooking. I set a timer for 15 minutes to check to see if it was safe to remove the lid. Remove lid and remove pan carefully, using your homemade sling or trivet handles. Let stand 5 minutes for foil to cool down. Remove foil carefully. I tore it from the bottom up the sides in a couple of pieces. Let cool completely on a wire rack 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until completely cooled. Cover with foil and refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.