Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache & Cookie Crust

 Picture and Recipe Adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

I made this today for Kevin's family and they said it was definitely "blogworthy." Light, Fluffy, Creamy, hint of lemon, heavenly chocolaty crust....what more can I say! I will use this no-bake recipe again and again....

FOR THE CRUST

Vegetable oil cooking spray
18 ounces chocolate wafers, finely ground (4 1/2 cups) - I used 2 packages of Oreo Fudge Rings

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

FOR THE GANACHE

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I used Ghirardelli's Bittersweet Chocolate Chips)1/2 cup heavy cream

FOR THE FILLING

32 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold

Make the crust:

Coat a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Mix wafers, sugar, butter, and salt in a medium bowl. Pat mixture into pan, pressing firmly into bottom and all the way up sides. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to fill.

Make the ganache:
Place chocolate in a food processor or blender. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, then pour over chocolate. When chocolate begins to melt, process until smooth. Reserve 4 tablespoons ganache for decorating, and spread the remainder evenly on bottom and all the way up sides of crust. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to fill.

Make the filling:

Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and slowly add sugar and salt. Raise speed to medium-high, and beat until very fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla.

Beat cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Beat 1/4 of the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture, then fold in remaining whipped cream.

Pour filling into crust, and spread evenly. Gently tap bottom of pan on counter to release air bubbles.

Cover, and freeze for at least 1 hour or overnight. Unmold cheesecake, and serve immediately

Here's a picture of mine, no decorations. but you could pipe extra ganache in any design you like...sorry I ran out of time!