Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake

This decadent chocolate dessert is made for chocolate lovers. It’s made with a simple chocolate Oreo crust, and a creamy rich chocolate filling. Serve it as is or with a luscious chocolate ganache, pillowy soft chocolate whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.

Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients

• CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES: Any brand is fine even the classic Oreos crushed whole for the crust. You will need approximately 24 cookies.
• MELTED BUTTER: Unsalted for the crust
• CREAM CHEESE: Room temperature and I prefer to use full fat cream cheese for the best flavour - best not to skimp
• HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM: This adds richness to the filling and also creates a creamy chocolate ganache combined with the chocolate when it’s melted.
• CHOCOLATE: I like to use semi sweet chocolate and I recommend it - it has a nice balance of sweetness to cocoa. But if you prefer bittersweet chocolate you can use that instead.
• SUGAR: 1 cup of granulated sugar is all I usually add - just sweet enough but for a sweeter filling feel free to increase the amount to 1 ½ cups especially if using bittersweet chocolate.
• COCOA POWDER: Just 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder is all you need to add more chocolate flavor and it also helps prevent batter from cracking and sort of stabilizes it making it easier to slice nice firm pieces.
• SOUR CREAM: For a smooth and creamy cheesecake.
• VANILLA EXTRACT: It always adds the perfect flavour
• EGGS: Room temperature - 4 large whole eggs hold the cheesecake together and add to the rich texture of it
• INSTANT ESPRESSO POWDER: I love the way it intensifies the flavor of the chocolate - but it’s optional if you prefer to leave it out.
• TOPPINGS: For the topping I did a rich creamy chocolate ganache which is simply chocolate and heavy whipping cream, plus a soft pillowy almost mousse-like chocolate whipped cream which is made with cocoa powder, heavy cream, powdered sugar and some vanilla. Personally I prefer it plain with fresh berries and plain whipped cream but for the over the top Cheesecake Factory version definitely go for the works with the ganache, chocolate whipped cream and sprinkles. Other topping options include Caramel sauce (storebought or homemade), fudge sauce, Cookie crumbs (whatever you used for the base/crust), Chopped nuts like roasted chopped pecans or your choice of fruit.
  
  

How To Make Chocolate Cheesecake (full instructions below)

1. Make Crust: Crush cookie sandwiches then combine with butter and press mixture into the bottom and slightly up the sides of springform pan.
2. Melt Chocolate with Cream: Stovetop or in the microwave to create a creamy ganache
3. Mix Cream Cheese With Sugar & Sour Cream: Until very smooth (some like to mix the cream cheese alone first then add the sugar and cream cheese - either way works)
4. Combine Ganache With Cream Cheese Batter: Mix in the creamy chocolate ganache until uniformly combined.
5. Transfer Batter to Pan & Bake: Smooth out batter then transfer to preheated oven placed directly above rack with baking dish with boiling water on the rack below.
6. Cool, Top as Desired, Slice and Serve: Cool with the oven cracked open then out the oven, chill then top as desired and serve.
   
   

Baked Cheesecake Tips:

• Beat on Low Speed: In order to minimize the amount of air you’re beating into your filling, keep the mixer on low speed. This helps prevent cracking.
• Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure you bring your ingredients to room temperature before making this cheesecake. If the eggs or cream cheese are too cold, you could end up with lumpy batter.
• Use a Water Bath: But not your typical water bath - I like to bake the cheesecake with a baking dish with boiling hot water placed under the cheesecake on the rack below the rack the cheesecake is on. No need for triple wrapping pan with foil and putting it in water bath or worrying about water leaking through - a great way to create the same steamy environment for your cheesecake.
• Cool the Cheesecake Slowly: Follow the directions in the recipe for cooling your cheesecake. If it cools too quickly, it could crack.
  
  

Chocolate Cheesecake Make Ahead, Storage & Freezing

• MAKE AHEAD: Cheesecakes are a great make ahead recipe. I almost always make mine 1 day in advance if not 2 days. I know that it doesn’t take 24 hours for the cheesecake to set but I like to at least allow 8 hours or overnight for it to set well, making it an ideal dessert to make ahead.
• STORAGE: The baked and chilled cheesecake will keep for up to 4 days covered tightly with plastic wrap and stored in the fridge. Top with ganache and whipped cream just before serving.
• FREEZING: The cheesecake will keep for up to 2 months covered tightly and stored in the freezer covered tightly with a couple layers of plastic wrap and foil over top. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.You can freeze individual slices the same way as well individually wrapped.