Oreo Cheesecake

This cheesecake must chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours! You need to make it the day before you want to serve it!

Except for the whipped cream - make the whipped cream a few minutes before you are going to slice and serve.

Crust:

1 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs (about 24 Oreo's) finely chopped

2 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Filing:

3 - 8 ounce packages of cream cheese at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

5 large eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup flour

8 ounces of sour cream

8 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped

Topping

6 coarsely chopped Oreo cookies

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions for the Crust:

Add the chocolate chips to melted butter. The warmth of the butter will melt the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate chips are completely melted. Then stir in the Oreo cookie crumbs. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 10" Springform pan. Set aside.

Directions for the Filling:

Place the room temperature cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer - beat on low speed until it is light and fluffily. Add the sugar and salt to the cream cheese mixture. Continue to beat on low.

Add the eggs, to the batter one at a time - making sure that each egg is completely beaten before adding the next egg,

Add the sour cream, vanilla extract and flour. Beat until the entire mixture is smooth.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the coarsely chopped Oreo cookies. Pour the batter into the Springform pan.

Directions for the Topping:

Sprinkle the top with more Oreo cookie pieces.

To Bake:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Fill two 9" cake pans with water - fill them about 2/3 of the way up. Place the water filled cake pans on the bottom rack of the oven and the cheesecake on the top rack. The water filled pans will act as a "water bath."

Bake for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and prop the door open and let the cheesecake sit for another hour in the oven. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it sit on your counter for 20 to 30 minutes to completely cool. Then cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for 24 hours. Yes, if you want to serve this for dessert - you need to make it a day in advance.

Using a sharp knife - edge all the way around the pan. Then remove the spring ring. Place the cheesecake on a cake plate.

For Topping:

Serve with dollops of freshly whipped cream. Combine the heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla with your immersion blender. Decorate the cheesecake with the whipped cream. You could also add a layer or Oreo crumbs to the top layer of the cheesecake. However, I was out of Oreo's so I didn't add the crumb layer and it was perfectly fine. Cut very small pieces because this is a rich cheesecake.