Chocolate Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS
COOKIE CRUST

• 24 whole Oreo cookies
• 6 tbsp. melted butter
• Pinch of kosher salt

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

• 4 (8-oz.) packages of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 c. cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 large eggs
• 9 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped and melted

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

• 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
• 3/4 c. heavy cream
• Chocolate shavings, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350° and position an oven rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Make crust: In a large Ziploc bag or a food processor fitted with a metal blade, crush or blend Oreos until fine crumbs form. Transfer to a bowl and pour in melted butter. Add salt and stir until crumbs are completely coated and moist.
3. Make cheesecake: In a large bowl using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment), beat cream cheese, sugars, cocoa powder, and salt until smooth. Add eggs one a time, beating well between each addition. Fold in melted chocolate.
4. Coat a 9" springform pan with cooking spray and press Oreo mixture into pan and 1/3 of the way up the sides, packing tightly. Pour cheesecake filling over crust.
5. Bake until cheesecake is only slightly jiggly in the center, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. (If you want to use a water bath to ensure cheesecake top does not crack, wrap the outside of the pan in aluminum foil and place in a baking dish. Place on oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the pan. Follow baking instructions.) If using a water bath, remove pan from water and unwrap foil. Refrigerate cheesecake until totally chilled, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
6. Make ganache: Place chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl and set aside. Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. When bubbles begin to break the surface around the edges of the pan, turn off the heat. Pour the hot cream over chocolate chips, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth.
7. Pour ganache on top of the cheesecake. Garnish with chocolate shavings. Return to the refrigerator for about 10 more minutes to let the ganache set.

This article and recipe adapted from this site