An American-born beauty, the cheesecake gets upgraded with a triple dose of chocolate. It's in the crust, in the filling, and over the top.

Prep: 30 mins          Total time: 2 hours 30 mins

Servings: 12            Recipe type: Dessert

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package (9 ounces) chocolate wafer cookies
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
• Chocolate Ganache, for topping

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Assemble a 9-inch springform pan with the raised side of the bottom facing down.

2. In a food processor, pulse cookies until finely ground. Add butter, and pulse to moisten. Transfer to prepared pan, and press crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet; bake 10 minutes, and set aside.

3. Wipe out bowl and blade of food processor. Add cream cheese, sugar, and salt; blend until smooth. With motor running, add eggs, then sour cream, and finally chocolate; blend filling until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

4. Pour filling onto crust, and bake just until set, 1 hour. Turn oven off, and let cheesecake sit 1 hour in oven, without opening (this helps prevent cracking).

5. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pan (this helps prevent cracking, too); leave in pan, and cool completely on wire rack. Cover loosely and refrigerate, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.

6. Prepare Chocolate Ganache. Unmold cheesecake. Spread ganache in center of cheesecake; let set before serving.


TIP :- To help prevent cracks, turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit inside for an hour.       
            To cut the cleanest slices, use a knife dipped in warm water.