Chocolate cookies & cream cheesecake

When it comes to their beloved man's birthday cake, the wife requested for chocolate cookies and cream cheesecake like those from Cedele. The daughter chose a 2D Baby Milo as the theme for the cake.  

To the delight of the birthday man and his family.

y quest for the perfect cheesecake began. I wanted to find something unique. I wanted to find the cheesecake with the "secret ingredients". I wanted to find the cheesecake that everyone dying to have. 

Search and you shall find. I chanced upon perfect cheesecake recipe by Elise Bauer. I modified the recipe in accordance to the request (with apologies to the creator!). With no doubt, this is the best recipe for chocolate cookies & cream cheesecake I have ever tasted. Smooth and luscious, this cake always wins accolades. Yes, this cake is really good! Even if you don't like cheesecake, you will find yourself delighting in this cheesecake flavour.

Even though the idea of making a cheesecake can be little scary for some but you have to trust me here. Making a cheesecake is absolutely easy and actually very quickly apart from the cooling time it requires. 

Chocolate Cookies & Cream Cheesecake
(Modified from Perfect Cheesecake Receipe)
Yield: 16 servings
Cook time: 3 hours


INGREDIENTS

Crust

• 250g of digestive biscuits, finely ground
• 70g unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 900g cream cheese, room temperature
• 180g caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 160ml sour cream
• 160ml heavy whipping cream
• 3 oreo biscuits, finely ground

Toppings

• 3 oreo biscuits, finely ground

Special equipment needed

• 9-inch, 2 3/4-inch high springform pan
• Heavy duty, 18-inch wide, aluminum foil,
• A large, high-sided roasting pan

METHOD

Prepare the crust

1. Prepare the springform so that no water leaks into it while baking. Place a large 18-inch by 18-inch square of aluminum foil on a flat surface. Place the springform pan in the middle of the foil. Gently fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Make sure to do this gently so that you don't create any holes in the foil. If there are any holes, water will get into the pan and ruin the crust. Press the foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil underneath the pan and repeat, gently folding up the sides of the foil around the pan and pressing the foil against the pan. Gently crimp the top of the foil sheets around the top edge of the pan.

2. Preheat oven to 175°C (or 155°C for a fan-forced oven), with rack in lower third of oven. Pulse the digestive biscuits in a food processor or blender until finely ground. Put it in a large bowl and stir in the melted butter.

*Tip: If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can throw the biscuits into a large food storage bag and give it a good whack with a rolling pin or a heavy duty pot. You'll get out a lot of anger and stress that way. 

3. Put all the digestive biscuits crumbs in the bottom of the springform pan. Gently press down on the crumbs using spatula, until the crumbs are a nice even layer at the bottom of the pan, with maybe a slight rise along the inside edges of the pan. Be careful, as you do this, as not to tear the aluminum foil. Place in the own for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 165°C (or 145°C for fan-forced oven).

Yes, the crust is the absolute best part of a cheesecake.

Make the fillings

4. Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the paddle attachment. Mix on the medium speed for 4 minutes until smooth, soft and cream. Add the sugar, and beat for 4 more minutes. Add the vanilla and beat after the addition. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add the heavy cream, beat until incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl, and scrape up any thicker bits of cream cheese that have stuck to the bottom of the mixer that the paddle attachment has failed to incorporate.

5. This is totally option, but because I am a perfectionist, I want a lump-free, smooth as silk batter. So once I have combined the filings, I usually strain it using a wire mesh sieve. Fold in the cookie crumbs.

Cook the cheesecake

6. Place the foil-wrapped springform in a large, high-sided pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour the cream cheese filling into the springform pan, over the digestive biscuits base bottom layer. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting plan with springform pan in it, in the oven, on the lower rack. Carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan (without touching the hot oven), to create a water bath for the cheesecake. Pour until the water reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan, about 1 1/4 inches. (Alternatively you can add the boiling water before putting the pan in the oven, whichever is easier for you.) Bake at 165°C (or 145°C for fan-forced oven) for 1 1/2 hours.

7. Turn off the heat of the oven and let the cake cool in the oven for 15 minutes. 

8. Crack open the oven door, 1-inch and continue to let the cake cool in the oven for another hour. This gentle cooling will proven the cheesecake surface from cracking. 

9. Remove the springform pan from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack completely. 

10. Cover the cooled cheesecake with foil, so that it doesn't actually touch the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a minimum 4-hours or overnight. 

Serving

11. Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator. Remove the foil from the sides of the pan, and place the cheesecake on your cake serving dish. Run the side of a blunt knife between the edge of the cheesecake and the pan. Open the springfoam latch and gently open the pan and lift up the sides. Spread the top with finely ground oreo cookies.