Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

In 'Cheesecake Extraordinaire'

• Ready In: 3 hrs 25 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Chocolate Cookie Crust

• 11  cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
• 3  tablespoons butter or 3  tablespoons margarine, melted

• Creamy Cookie Filling

• 24  ounces cream cheese
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 5  teaspoons cornstarch
• 3  eggs
• 1  egg yolk
• 2⁄3 cup  whipping cream
• 1⁄3 cup dark Creme de Cacao
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1  cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 4  chocolate sandwich cream  cookies, coarsely crumbled (Oreos)

• Chocolate Cookie Topping

• 1  cup  whipping cream
• 1  tablespoon sugar
• 4  chocolate sandwich cream  cookies, coarsely crumbled (Oreos)

Directions

1. Crust: in a small bowl stir together crushed cookies and melted butter or margarine until well combined.
2. Press crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan.
3. Filling: In a big bowl combine the cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch; beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
4. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Stir in whipping cream, creme de cacao, and vanilla; stir in melted chocolate; fold in cookies.
6. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust.
7. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes; decrease temperature to 200° and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the center no longer looks wet or shiny.
8. Remove cake from the oven and run a knife around the inside edge of the pan.
9. Turn the oven off; return cake to the oven for an additional 1 hour.
10. Chill, uncovered, overnight.
11. Topping: In a small bowl, beat whipping cream and sugar with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
12. Spread whipped cream mixture over cheesecake; sprinkle with cookies.
13. Chill until serving time.