Chocolate Cheesecake With Oreo Crust
My smooth and easy-to-make chocolate cheesecake with a light Oreo crust, topped with a glossy, one-bowl chocolate sauce, is perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Oreo Crust
- 330 g Oreo cookies
- 80 g unsalted butter melted and cooled
Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- 750 g full fat cream cheese blocks softened (see notes)
- 130 g Greek yogurt room temperature
- 150 g caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 35 g corn flour corn starch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs 55g each
- 255 g dark cooking chocolate melted and cooled (see notes)
- 1/2 batch chocolate sauce to decorate
Instructions
Oreo Crust
- Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180C / 350F (200C / 390F for no fan). Line the bottom of a 20cm / 8-inch springform pan with baking paper. Cut excess paper off once clipped tight.
- Crush Oreos - Add the Oreos to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until you reach fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can add the cookies to a large zip lock bag and crush using a rolling pin. Pour the butter into the crumbs and pulse or mix until the crumbs are coated and resemble wet soil. When squeezed together in your hand it should come together, kind of like a cookie.
- Form the crust - Pour 3/4 of the mixture into the lined pan and use the back of a spoon to firmly press into the sides of the pan, all the way up to the top. Pour the remaining cookie mixture into the pan and press firmly into the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool down. Lower the oven temperature to 120C / 250F (150C / 300F for no fan).
Chocolate Cheesecake Filling
- Mix cream cheese and yogurt - To the bowl of a clean food processor bowl, add the softened cream cheese and Greek yogurt. Pulse until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Add eggs, corn starch and salt - Scrape down the bowl. Add the eggs and pulse until smooth. Scrape down the bowl again and add the sugar, corn starch and salt. Pulse for another 60 seconds.
- Add cooled chocolate - Add the melted chocolate and pulse until well and evenly combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix for another 60 seconds. Pour the mixture into cooled springform pan and use a spatula to smoothen out the top.
- How to prepare the water bath - Place the springform pan in a slightly larger round tin (22cm / 9-inch or bigger). Then set this tin into an even larger baking dish (30cm / 12-inch or more, doesn’t have to be round). Fill the outer pan with water halfway up the sides of the height of the springform pan. This method prevents sogginess and ensures a perfect bake.
- Bake - Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the center of the cheesecake slightly jiggles. Once baked, allow to cool to room temperature, then place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, overnight is best.
- To finish decorating - Once chilled, unclasp the clip on the springform pan and release the cheesecake. Place on a serving plate. Finish by pouring chocolate sauce on top (make sure it’s not hot, warm is ok). Use a spatula to spread slightly over the sides. Slice and serve.
Notes
Cream Cheese - I used block style cream cheese because it’s what works best for this recipe. Any brand will work but I use the Philadelphia cream cheese.. Here in Australia, Woolworths makes it’s own slightly cheaper block style cream cheese. Spreadable cream cheese will not work for this recipe. UK: your cream cheese is sold in tubs, I’m told the Philadelphia brand one will work for this recipe.
Cooking Chocolate - I used dark cooking chocolate for this recipe. Specifically, the Nestle cooking buttons which are designed to be easily melted and used for baking and desserts, but any cooking chocolate that can be found in the baking isle of your supermarket will work. Just make sure it’s good quality.
Water Bath - Baking the cheesecake in a water bath helps it bake evenly, resulting in a smooth, creamy filling without cracks or sinking. Instead of wrapping the springform pan in foil, place it in a slightly larger cake tin. Then place that cake tin in a larger cake tin. Fill the outer pan with water halfway up the sides of the springform pan. This method avoids soggy cheesecake and ensures a perfect bake.
Bending the spoon - this is a technique I use to help me get a nice form press on the bottom of my cookie crust. Alternatively, you could use a flat glass or measuring cup.
How to avoid over mixing - The best way to get a nice creamy cheesecake that bakes with a flat top and that doesn’t sink is to make sure you don’t over mix and over aerate your filling. I use a food processor to mix the cheesecake filling on medium speed. Alternatively you can use an electric hand mixer on medium speed or even make this by hand using a spatula. I would emphasize though that if you’re making it by hand, make sure your cream cheese is extra soft.
Chocolate sauce - I have a great chocolate sauce recipe that is super silky, glossy and easy to make. I would recommend making half a batch, making it fresh and pouring on when slightly warm.
Storage - This Chocolate Cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.
Nutrition – is an approximate and is based on per slice.
A note on measurements – This recipe uses weight measurements for the most accurate results. Cup measurements can vary depending on where you are, which affects the precision needed for a recipe like this. Here is where you can learn more about how to measure ingredients using digital kitchen scales.
Nutrition
Calories:615kcal | Carbohydrates:72g | Protein:9g | Fat:33g | Saturated Fat:16g | Polyunsaturated Fat:3g | Monounsaturated Fat:12g | Trans Fat:0.4g | Cholesterol:83mg | Sodium:448mg | Potassium:402mg | Fiber:5g | Sugar:46g | Vitamin A:340IU | Calcium:62mg | Iron:11mg
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