Chocolate Lover's Cheesecake

Another recipe from Kraft's 2004 calendar. If you love chocolate and cheesecake, you're sure to love this.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 18  Oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 2  tablespoons butter or 2  tablespoons margarine, melted
• 3 (250 g) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (8 ounce) package  baker  semisweet chocolate, melted,and cooled slightly
• 3  eggs

Directions

1. Mix crushed cookies and butter; press firmly onto the bottom of a 9" springform pan.
2. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
3. Add melted chocolate and mix well.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each egg is added, just until blended.
5. Pour over crust.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F.
7. for 45- 50 minutes or until the centre is almost set.
8. (If you're using a dark non stick springform pan, bake at 325 degrees F. for 45- 50 minutes).
9. Run knife or metal spatula around the side of the pan to loosen the cake.
10. Cool before removing side of pan.
11. Refrigerate for four hours or overnight.
12. For a more decorative cheesecake, you can dust the entire surface of the cake with cocoa powder using a wire mesh strainer.
13. For Valentine's Day, make a heart shaped designed by topping the dusted cheesecake with a heart shaped stencil and sprinkle with icing (powdered) sugar.