Black-Bottom Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

For the Oreo Cookie Crust:

36 regular Oreo cookies

6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter melted

For the Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Batter:

4 blocks (32 ounce) full-fat cream cheese room temperature

1 cup (227g) full-fat sour cream room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

4 large egg yolks room temperature

3 large eggs room temperature

1/2 cup (57ml) heavy cream room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips divided

1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (21g) all-purpose flour

For the Chocolate Ganache:

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate roughly chopped

1/3 cup (76ml) heavy cream

2 teaspoons light corn syrup optional

chocolate curls optional

For the Oreo Cookie Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray. Wrap the outside of the pan in layers of extra wide heavy duty aluminum foil. You’ll be placing this pan in a water bath, so be sure the pan has been wrapped from every angle. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the crushed cookie crumbs and melted butter, mix well to combine.

Press the mixture into the bottom – and slightly up the sides – of the prepared pan.

Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside on a cooling rack until needed.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees (F).

For the Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Batter:

In the bowl of a large food processor, beat the softened cream cheese and sour cream until completely smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.

Add sugar and vanilla and beat smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Add in the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add in the heavy cream and pulse on low until just combined.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1 cup of the mini chocolate chips and all of the flour, mixing just until combined.

Pour filling into the prepared crust and, using a rubber spatula, smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top of the batter.

Place the cheesecake pan into a large, deep pan. Fill the pan with 2 and ½- inches of hot water. This is your water bath and will help ensure your cheesecake comes out crack free.

Carefully place the pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit, undisturbed, for 30 more minutes, inside the oven with the door shut. The cheesecake should be set around the edges, and slightly wiggly in the middle.

Remove cake from the oven and gently run a knife very around the edge of the cake. Place the cheesecake on a cooling rack and cool completely, then loosely cover the pan with saran wrap and chill for at least 6 hours. Do not remove the pan until completely cooled!

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Place the chopped chocolate in a medium heat-safe bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat just until the mixture comes to a boil, then immediately remove from heat (you do not want to let it continue to boil).

Pour the hot mixture over the chopped and let it sit for 1 minute. Then stir until completely smooth. Cool for 5 minutes.

Carefully pour the glaze over the cooled cheesecake, coating the top and letting any excess drip down the sides. Top with chocolate curls. Slice and serve!