INGREDIENTS
1 cup (about 5 oz.) chocolate cookie or chocolate graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp melted butter
2 pt baskets California Strawberries, stemmed and halved
2 cups (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup water
2 tbsp light corn syrup
2 ½ cups whipping cream, divided
1 tbsp sugar
DIRECTIONS:
-In bowl, mix crumbs and butter to blend thoroughly. Press evenly onto bottom of 9-inch spring form or cheesecake pan. Stand strawberry halves, touching side-by-side, pointed ends up with cut sides against side of pan. Set aside.
-Place chocolate chips in blender container. In small saucepan over medium heat, mix water and corn syrup; bring to boil and simmer for 1 minute. Immediately pour over chocolate chips and blend until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
-Meanwhile, in large mixer bowl, beat 1 ½ cups of the cream to form stiff peaks. With rubber spatula, fold cooled chocolate into whipped cream to blend thoroughly. Pour into prepared pan; level top. (Points of strawberries might extend above chocolate mixture.) Cover and refrigerate 4 to 24 hours.
-Up to 2 hours before serving, in medium mixer bowl, beat remaining one cup cream to form soft peaks. Add sugar; beat to form stiff peaks. Remove side of pan; place cake on serving plate. Using a pastry bag with a star tip pipe or dollop whipped cream on top of cake. Arrange remaining halved strawberries on whipped cream. To serve, cut into wedges with knife, wiping blade between cuts.
