it's just Laine: The Best Chocolate Cheesecake. Ever.

Hello gorgeous.

You make my world a happier place.

And make me drool on my keyboard.

I love cheesecake....and this chocolate cheesecake with oreo crust is rich, creamy and just completely delish. Most importantly, it is my hubby's favorite. {smile} If you are a chocolate-lover like me, you'll want to try it!

Chocolate Cheesecake

-40 Oreos? (I'm not really sure, I just always use two full rows because we like thick crust!), crushed

-4 Tbsp. butter, melted

-3 pkg. (8 oz. each) Regular Cream Cheese, softened (no low-fat!)

-1 cup sugar

-2 tsp. vanilla extract

-1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

-3 eggs

1. Fill a large pan with lukewarm water and place on the lower rack in your oven.

2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

3. Spray 9" springform pan with cooking spray.

4. Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom and a little up the sides of your springform pan.

5. Bake crust for 5 minutes. Cool.

6. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

7. Add chocolate and mix well.

8. Add eggs one at a time and mix on LOW speed after each addition until just blended. (I cannot stress the importance of this step enough. If you over-mix, the texture of your cheesecake will not be good and it will crack like crazy!)

9. Pour over crust and spread evenly.

10. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the center is almost set. (I just give mine the "jiggle" test. Gently give the pan a shake and if the inside circle jiggles a little, then you know it's done. But, if it jiggles almost all the way to the edge, give it 5 more minutes and test it again. I know, sounds complicated, but it's really not.)

11. When done, remove from oven to a wire rack. Run a very sharp knife around the edge to loosen it from the pan. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT unbuckle the rim.

12. Immediately cover with a double layer of kitchen towels. Let it cool completely with the towels on. When cooled, just pop the whole thing, towels and all into the refrigerator and let it sit 4 hours or overnight.

(Why the towels? Have you ever seen a cheesecake with a really sunken center or cracked all over? The towels allow for slow cooling while locking in the moisture and results in an even top with no cracks.)

*Slicing tip: To achieve a clean, smooth cut, wet your knife in a pitcher of very hot water and dry on a towel before each cut. This takes a while, but results in beautiful slices! (I like to use a non-serrated, butcher knife.)*

Serve plain or top with your choice of fresh fruit, walnuts and caramel, or just some freshly whipped cream. Or load it with all of the above, hee-hee!

Enjoy!