Ingredients:

  Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
--------  ------------  --------------------------------
  2               cups  crushed saltine crackers
  1                cup  finely chopped walnuts
     2/3           cup  butter or margarine -- melted
     1/3           cup  sugar
  12            ounces  semisweet chocolate squares
  1 1/2           cups  butter or margarine
  16            ounces  cream cheese -- softened
  1 1/2           cups  sugar
  6              large  eggs
                        hot fudge sauce
  12            ounces  semisweet chocolate morsels
  1                cup  half-and-half
  1         tablespoon  butter or margarine
  1           teaspoon  vanilla extract
                        garnish:fresh mint sprigs

Preparation:

Combine first 4 ingredients; stir well. Firmly press onto bottom and 2 1/2" up sides of a lightly greased 9" springform pan. Bake at 350'F for 8 minutes. Remove to a wire rack; let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300'F.. Combine chocolate squares and 1 1/2 cups butter in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until mixture is melted and smooth, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and let cool. Beat cream cheese at medium speed of an electric mixer until creamy. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar; beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in cooled chocolate mixture. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 300'F. for 1 hour and 20 to 30 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake cool in oven 1 hour. Remove to a wire rack let cool to room temperature. Remove sides of pan. Serve cheesecake at room temperature with Hot Fudge Sauce, or chill until ready to serve. Garnish, if desired. Yield: one 9" cheesecake. Hot Fudge Sauce: Combine chocolate morsels and half-and-half in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Serve

Nutritional Information:

1082 Calories (kcal); 87g Total Fat; (69% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 75g Carbohydrate; 341mg Cholesterol; 736mg Sodium