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Decadent Chocolate Cheesecake

This cheesecake is an explosion of chocolate, including a chocolate crust, smooth chocolate cheese filling, rich chocolate ganache, all crowned with chocolate decorations. It's a great balance between luxurious chocolate, creamy cream cheese, a biscuity base, and various textural decorations. It is certainly not the easiest cake to make in the world, nor the least time consuming, but it is absolutely doable and absolutely worth the effort.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Cooling Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 6 hours 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Servings 16 people
Calories 670 kcal

Equipment

  • springform pan
  • stand/hand mixer
  • baking sheet or shallow baking dish/pan
  • parchment paper

Ingredients
  

Chocolate Crust

  • 15 Oreo cookies or 6 packs mini Oreos
  • 3 tbsp butter melted
  • 1 pinch salt

Cheese Filling

  • 2 1/2 lbs cream cheese 5 8-oz blocks, softened to room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 7 eggs whole, room temperature
  • 3 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups water

Ganache

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Decorations

  • 1/4 cup hazelnuts roasted
  • 6-10 cherries medium (can be substituted for berries or left out completely)
  • 6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
  • leftover ganache see recipe
  • 6-10 caremlized hazelnuts see recipe
  • 2 Oreos 1 pack minis

Instructions
 

Chocolate Crust:

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F. In a food processor or in a plastic bag, add the Oreo cookies. Then, either blitz or crush with a rolling pin until you have fine crumbs.
  • Add the melted butter and salt to the crumbs, and stir until combined. Pour the mix into a springform pan and press down until all the crumbs are stuck together.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes, then cool until room temperature, about 15 minutes.

Cheese Filling:

  • Preheat the oven to 450ºF. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and sugar on high speed for 5-6 minutes. Scrape down the bowl once in a while to ensure it is fulling mixing.
  • One by one, add the eggs on medium speed, scraping down the bowl occasionally.
  • Add the sour cream, vanilla, salt, and cocoa powder and mix until combined. Pour the mix into the springform pan with the cooled crust on the bottom.
  • Prepare the bain marie by placing your shallow sheet pan into the bottom of the oven and pour in 2 cups of warm water.
  • Transfer the cheesecake to the oven carefully, placing it a few racks above the bain-marie.
  • Bake at 450ºF for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 225ºF and bake for another 70-75 minutes. Try not to open the oven during the baking, as the created steam prevents cracking and helps the cheesecake cook. See the recipe for a description of the wobble of the cheesecake at the end of the cook time.
  • Once done, turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool with the oven door slightly open for one hour. Then, remove and cool until at least room temperature, about 2 hours.

Ganache

  • Heat the cream in a pan or in the microwave until warmed through but not boiling.
  • Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl and pour over the cream. Without stirring, cover the bowl for 5 minutes. Then, stir until the ganache becomes luscious and smooth.
  • Let the ganache come to room temperature and prepare the cheesecake for glazing.
  • The setup is as follows: On the bottom, there is a sheet pan, then there are three glass cups on top, and on top will go the cheesecake. You're looking to create a system that will allow the cheesecake to be elevated and allow the excess ganache to drip off.
  • Remove the cheesecake gently from the pan by running a knife along the sides and releasing the pan. Keep the bottom of the springform under the cheesecake.
  • Put the cheesecake on top of the glazing set up and pour the ganache over, making sure to coat the sides. Once done, put the cheesecake into the fridge and cool for at least an hour.
  • Save the leftover ganache that dripped off the cheesecake in the fridge and let it cool with the cheesecake. This will later be used for decoration.

Decorations/Assembly

  • Prepare the decorations during the period of time the cheesecake is cooling and the ganache is setting.
  • Make the chocolate shards by melting down the 6 oz chocolate in a pan or microwave. In a bag, crush the hazelnuts until there are rough, small pieces left.
  • Pour the chocolate onto a sheet of parchment paper, and then spread it out until thin. Sprinkle over the hazlenuts and let it set in the fridge.
  • Once it is set, use a knife to cut shards or simply break the chocolate. Keep in the fridge, especially if it is a hot/humid day.
  • To make the whipped ganache, whip the leftover ganache that's been chilling in the fridge for about 3 minutes on high speed until light and fluffy.
  • For the Oreo crumble, crush the 2 reserved Oreos until you have fine crumbs.
  • For the caramelized hazelnuts, add the sugar to a pan. Cook it slowly on low heat without stirring until you achieve a caramel color, then dip the 10 hazelnuts skewered on toothpicks. Put them on parchment paper until the sugar is set. Then, remove the toothpicks.
  • For the actual decoration, sprinkle the Oreo crumble in a circle around the cake. Transfer the whipped ganache to a piping bag with an open star tip and pipe different sized flowers around the circle of crumbs. Randomly, add the cherries, chocolate shards, and caramelized hazelnuts until you are happy with the decoration.
  • Keep the cheesecake in the fridge until you're ready to eat. Slice when desired and enjoy!

Notes

  • Macros: 49.7 g fat, 55 g carbohydrates, 10 g protein
  • See the recipe for more detailed descriptions, notes, and baking tips. 
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