Shelly's Recipe

PEANUT BUTTER CUP CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE WITH COOKIE CRUST

Category: Cheesecake

14 whole Oreo cookies or similar chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed fine
1/4 cup melted butter

Remove the bottom of a 9- inch springform pan, then line the bottom plate with aluminum foil. Reassemble the pan. Pull the excess foil up and around the pan to prevent any batter from leaking into the oven. Spray sides and bottom with vegetable spray.

Mix Oreo Cookie Crust ingredients together and pat on the bottom only of the prepared pan.

Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
4 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 can brand sweetened condensed milk
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 cup semi sweet gourmet chocolate chips, melted (see above)
8 large Peanut Butter Cups, chopped in good size pieces

Chocolate Ganache Icing
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup mini dark chocolate chips or chopped semi-sweet chocolate.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Place a pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven and close the door.In a mixing bowl on medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth ~ about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down sides half way through. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat again, scraping a few times. The mixture should be smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time beating after each addition until creamy. Add vanilla and blend. With the mixer on low, add melted chocolate in a steady stream and beat only enough so there are no lumps and the filling is nice and fluffy. Scrape as needed.

Gently fold in all but 1/2 cup of chopped peanut butter cups. Pour batter into prepared pan on top of the Oreo cookie crust. Sprinkle the remaining peanut butter cups over the top of the cheesecake, and bake at 300 degrees for 60-70 minutes. The center of the cheesecake will still be a little wiggly when it comes out of the oven. The cheesecake will set up as it cools and chills. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing the sides of the pan.

When fully chilled, remove from pan and drizzle with the optional dark chocolate ganache icing.

Chocolate Ganache Icing: Heat cream almost to scald. Remove from burner. Add chocolate and whisk to blend and melt. Cool enough to spoon or drizzle. Chill ganache 1 hour or more to spread or pipe from a pastry bag.

Makes one 9 inch Chocolate Cheesecake. Serves 14. Wrap and refrigerate any leftovers.