This may take the cake (no pun intended!) for one of the best desserts I've ever made. If you're a chocoholic, this is the cheesecake you want to make. I used a lot of dark chocolate, where the recipe was pretty flexible in using dark, semi-sweet, bittersweet, etc. I'm a big fan of dark chocolate though. ;) I'm considering making a bar version of this for my parent's Christmas Party but already had another chocolate dessert in mind for that....decisions, decisions!
INGREDIENTS
CRUST
2 cups crushed cookies (I used Oreos with fillings removed)
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp melted butter
Oreos - about 8 for surrounding crust (taken apart and fillings removed)
FILLING
1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
3 bars of cream cheese (8 oz. each)
1/3 cup cocoa (I used dark chocolate cocoa by Hershey's)
1 tsp vanilla
TOPPING
1.5 cups chocolate chips (I used 3/4 cups dark chocolate chips & 3/4 cups semi-sweet chips)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1.5 cups chocolate chips (I used 3/4 cups dark chocolate chips & 3/4 cups semi-sweet chips)
1/4 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
To make the crust, place the Oreos around the outside of a springform pan (separated with fillings removed). Mix the 2 cups of cookie crumbs with sugar and butter and then press into the pan covering the bottom and up the sides. The original recipe called for more Oreos lining the top of the crust, but since the crust is crushed Oreos, I really didn't notice these extra cookies. I would omit this next time...and there will be a next time! Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. A tip from the original recipe that I found helpful - put the pan on a cookie sheet (I lined this with foil) so that if butter oozes it, it won't create a mess.
To make the crust, place the Oreos around the outside of a springform pan (separated with fillings removed). Mix the 2 cups of cookie crumbs with sugar and butter and then press into the pan covering the bottom and up the sides. The original recipe called for more Oreos lining the top of the crust, but since the crust is crushed Oreos, I really didn't notice these extra cookies. I would omit this next time...and there will be a next time! Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. A tip from the original recipe that I found helpful - put the pan on a cookie sheet (I lined this with foil) so that if butter oozes it, it won't create a mess.
To make the filling, first melt 1/4 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate chips). You can melt in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, or on low heat on the stove. Add 1/4 cup of room temperature heavy cream to the melted chips. Mix until combined. Set aside. Next, beat the 3 (8 oz.) of softened cream cheese for about 1 minute. Add one cup of sugar and mix until combined. Add 1/3 cup of baking cocoa and mix until combined. I used Hershey's Dark Chocolate baking cocoa and highly recommend it! I've been using it in all of my chocolate recipes recently and think it makes everything just a bit richer (and better)! Add the eggs, one at at time and beat until smooth. Add 1 tsp vanilla, mix, then add the cream/chocolate chips mixture and mix on low speed. Pour the filling into the baked crust and bake at 325 for about 55-60 minutes. The original recipe called for 45-50 minutes and I baked it for 50. It was a little underdone in the center, which is always better than overdone, but if you want a fully baked cheesecake I'd suggest about 55 minutes or so. Check on it to make sure it looks okay! After baking, let the cheesecake cool for about an hour.
To make the topping, melt 1.5 cups of chocolate chips. I used 3/4 cup of semi-sweet and 3/4 cups of dark chocolate chips. Mix with 1/4 cup of room temperature heavy cream. Pour over the top of the cheesecake and smooth it out. Put cheesecake in the fridge for about 4 hours or so (I had it in overnight).
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