Recipe(tried): Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE CRUST

This is such a simple cheesecake recipe that everyone loves! Make this the night before you plan to serve it so that there's enough time for it to be well-chilled) Note that it is very rich, and should be served in thin slices.

FOR THE CRUST:
1 pkg Nabisco brand Famous chocolate wafer cookies (or enough Oreo cookies to make 2 cups of crumbs)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter of margarine, melted and cooled
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup toasted pecans (optional)
FOR THE FILLING:
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened (not low-fat)
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 (8 oz.) carton sour cream (not low fat or light)
1 tablespoon real vanilla extract (not artificial)
1 (12 oz.) package miniature-size chocolate chips
boiling water (for the pan)

Put oven rack into center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Tear off 2 sheets of foil and tightly wrap the outside bottom of a 10x3-inch springform pan so that it is watertight. Lightly coat the inside of the pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE CRUST:
Crush the cookies with your hands as you put them in the bowl of a food processor. Add the melted butter and the sugar. Blend until mixture is combined and starts to "crawl" up the side of the food processor bowl. Stir the crumb mixture so that it is spread evenly in the processor bowl, then pulse 2 or 3 more times until the cookies are finely crushed.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cheesecake pan. Press lightly on to the bottom and about 1-inch up the sides of the cheesecake pan (NOTE: Don't press too hard, or else it will be as hard as a rock after it's baked!) Place the crust in the pan in the freezer while you mix the cheesecake.

TO MAKE THE CHEESECAKE:
In a large mixing bowl, cream the cream cheese, one package at a time, until well blended, then mix in the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing the first egg in very well before adding the next one. Blend in the sour cream and the vanilla, beating the mixture until very smooth. Remove bowl from the mixer stand, if using a large mixer. With a wooden spoon, fold the miniature chocolate chips into the cheese mixture, until well-blended.

Remove cheesecake pan with the crust from the freezer. Pour cheesecake filling carefully from the mixing bowl into the crust, scraping the mixing bowl, and smoothing the top of the filling.

Set the cheesecake pan in a 13x9x2-inch cake pan and place on the center rack in the oven. Carefully pour 1-inch of boiling water into the 139x-inch cake pan.

Bake the cheesecake 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the center is set when you move the cake pan a little. Turn off the oven and prop the door open about 1-inch with the handle of a wooden spoon, and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour.

Remove cheesecake from oven, set on a rack, and cool completely. Cover cheesecake pan with foil and chill in refrigerator at least 8 hours before eating.

VARIATION:

BLACK FOREST CHEESCAKE:
Before pouring cheesecake mixture into crust, open a can of cherry pie filling (or whatever pie fruit your family enjoys with chocolate) and pour that into the crust, then add the cheesecake mixture. Would you call that a "Black Forest" cheesecake?

Enjoy!