Chocolate Cheesecake

1. Place oven racks in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray and lining with parchment paper on bottom and sides. Spray the parchment paper with non-stick cooking spray as well, and set aside.

for the crust-

1. In a medium sized bowl, stir cookie crumbs together with melted butter until well incorporated and mixture looks like damp sand.
2. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press crust into the bottom and half way up the sides of the springform pan. Bake 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

for the chocolate cheesecake-

1. Reduce oven temperature to 325° F.
2. Add chocolate chips to a small glass bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring each time until completely melted and smooth. Set aside to cool a bit.
3. In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix cream cheese for about 30 seconds, until smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and add in granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and sift in cocoa powder. Mix again.
4. Add melted chocolate chips, freshly brewed room temperature espresso, and room temperature heavy cream. Mix until incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again briefly. We want NO LUMPS!
5. Crack room temperature eggs in a small bowl and beat until well scrambled. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the eggs into the cream cheese mixture and stop stirring once eggs have been incorporated.
6. Remove bowl from mixer and scrape the sides and bottom again, ensuring the entire mixture is smooth. If there are a few small lumps, try to fold in using the rubber scraper.
7. Once the batter is completely smooth and ready, tap the bowl on the counter for 30-45 seconds to remove as many air bubbles as possible. You should see them popping on the surface as you tap the bowl.
8. Pour filling into the springform pan directly on top of the baked crust.
9. Bake for 30 minutes at 325° F. Reduce temperature to 250° F and continue cooking for 45 minutes more. Once this time has elapsed, turn oven off and keep cheesecake inside for another 30 minutes for some carryover cooking without opening the oven door.
10. Crack oven door to let cheesecake cool slowly for one hour before removing. At this point, cheesecake should be slightly warm. Bring cheesecake to room temperature on the counter (about 3 hours) before covering with plastic wrap and transferring to the fridge. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until ready to serve.
11. Garnish with fresh berries, homemade whipped cream or chocolate shavings, if desired. Slice, serve and enjoy!