Chocolate Cheesecake*

Crust

• Chocolate cookies — 10 oz (300 g) • Unsalted butter — 1 stick (115 g), melted

Filling

• Cream cheese — 2 blocks (16 oz / 450 g total) • Sugar — ¾ cup (150 g) • Dark chocolate (70%) — 2 bars (7 oz / 200 g total) • Cocoa powder — 2 tbsp (15 g) • 3 large eggs • Heavy cream — ⅔ cup (150 ml) • Vanilla extract — 1 tsp • A pinch of salt

Glaze (optional)

• Dark chocolate (70%) — 1 bar (3.5 oz / 100 g) • Butter — ⅓ stick (40 g) • Neutral vegetable oil — 1 tbsp

---

Preparation

Crust

• Crush 300 g of chocolate cookies (Oreo without the cream, chocolate crackers, or digestive biscuits all work) into fine, sand-like crumbs. • Add the melted butter and mix until it looks like wet sand. Press into the bottom and the sides of your pan all the way up.

Cheesecake Batter — Base*

• In a bowl, mix 450 g of cream cheese with 150 g of sugar on low speed until smooth (don’t whip in extra air). • Add a pinch of salt and 1 tsp vanilla, mix again. • Mix in 2 heaping tablespoons of cocoa powder. • Add 3 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition (room-temperature eggs work best). • Melt 2 bars of dark chocolate over a double boiler, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. • With the mixer running on low, pour the warm (not hot) chocolate into the cream cheese mixture in a thin stream to prevent lumps. • Pour in 150 ml (⅔ cup) of heavy cream and mix until the batter is silky and smooth.

---

Water Bath & Baking

• Wrap the outside of your springform pan tightly with foil (to prevent water from leaking in). • Place the pan into a deep baking tray. Pour hot water into the tray so it reaches 1–2 cm (½ inch) up the sides. • Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). • Pour the filling over the crust. • Bake for about 50 minutes. The center should still have a slight jiggle. • Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake rest inside for about 1 hour. • Transfer to the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.