The beaver is a proud and noble animal

Ingredients

Crust:

9-ounce package of chocolate cookies (such as chocolate wafers, graham crackers or teddy grahams)
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

10 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (use the best quality you can afford)
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 large eggs

Topping:

3/4 cup whipping cream
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
Chocolate curls for garnish

Directions

For crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F/175C.
2. Butter a 9-inch springform pan with 3-inch-high sides (or use a 10-inch springform pan with 2-inch sides).
3. Process the chocolate cookies in a food processor (or the old-fashioned way with a bag and a rolling pin) until they are finely ground. Transfer them to a small bowl and mix in the sugar.
4. Add the melted butter and mix until well combined.
5. Press the crumbs evenly onto the bottom only of the prepared pan.
6. Bake just until set, about 5 minutes. Cool while preparing filling.
7. Keep the oven heated at 350F/175C.

For filling:

1. Melt the 10 ounces of chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler until melted and smooth. Cool the chocolate until lukewarm but ensure that it is still warm enough to be pourable.
2. In a large bowl (or with a stand mixer), blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder until smooth.
3. Blend in eggs one at a time.
4. Mix in lukewarm chocolate.
5. Pour the cheesecake filling over the crust; smooth the top.
6. Bake until the center is just set and just appears dry, about 1 hour.
7. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
8. Run knife around sides of cake to loosen. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

For topping:

1. One hour before serving (or up to 3 days ahead of time), stir cream, 6 ounces chocolate, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool slightly.
2. Pour over the center of the cheesecake, spreading to within 1/2 inch of edge and filling any cracks.
3. Chill until the topping is set, about 1 hour.

When ready to serve, release the springform pan sides. Transfer the cheesecake to a platter. Top with chocolate curls. It is preferable to let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving.

Ingredients

Crust:
4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I like to use chocolate Teddy Grahams but you could use any chocolate wafer cookie or even Oreos)

Filling:
4 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream (I used light and it worked just fine)

Cookie Dough:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoon water or milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips
An additional 1 cup mini chocolate chips to fold into the batter with the cookie dough balls

Garnish:
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks (add 1 tablespoon powdered sugar while whipping if you like a bit of extra sweetness)
Mini chocolate chips, for sprinkling

Directions

For the cookie dough:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the butter and sugars for the cookie dough.
2. Add the water (or milk), vanilla and blend.
3. Mix in the flour, salt and the chocolate chips. The dough will be fairly soft.
4. Gently roll the dough into small balls (about a teaspoon size, maybe a bit larger) and place them on a wax paper lined plate or baking sheet.
5. Place them in the freezer to harden while making the rest of the cheesecake.

For the crust:

1. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the butter with the chocolate cookie crumbs (you could easily use a food processor to crush the cookies and incorporate the butter).
3. Press onto the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the prepared pan.

For the cheesecake:

1. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour until smooth. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix just until blended. Be careful not to overmix – incorporating too much air into the batter can contribute to a cheesecake cracking on top during baking.
2. Pour half the batter into the prepared crust.
3. Gently stir in the cookie dough balls and the additional 1 cup mini chocolate chips into the remaining batter. Pour into the pan, spreading the batter to the sides of the pan and evening it out across the top (it is ok to see bumps of cookie dough here and there, smooth it the best you can).
4. Bake the cheesecake at 325F/160C for one hour. Turn off the oven and prop the door open several inches. Let the cake sit in the oven for an additional 30 minutes.
5. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate until chilled (ideally, overnight).

To serve, cut into slices and top with whipped cream and mini chocolate chips. this cheesecake, like any good, baked cheesecake, tastes best after being refrigerated overnight.