Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan with butter or cooking spray.
3. Wrap foil around outside of the pan. Set aside.
4. Get out and measure all of your ingredients! You are about to make an amazing cheesecake!
5. In a small bowl combine crumbs and butter.
6. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of your springform pan. Set aside.
7. In a medium sized bowl beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth.
8. Add sugar and continue to beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
9. Add eggs, sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla. Scrape down sides of your bowl as necessary.
10. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the batter in small bowl. Set aside.
11. Add your peanut butter to the remaining batter and combine until incorporated.
12. Add melted chocolate to your reserved 1 ½ cups batter and stir to combine.
13. Pour over top of your crumb crust. Spread chocolate as evenly as possible over top of your crumb crust.
14. Pour remaining peanut butter batter over top of the chocolate. Smooth the top.
15. Place springform pan on to a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven. Pour as much hot water as you can on top of your rimmed baking sheet, surrounding your springform pan, like a moat. Water should surround springform pan and be about ½ to ¾ of an inch deep.
16. Bake for between 75 and 90 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cheesecake should rise and brown on top.
17. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely inside the springform pan.

Chocolate Ganache if Using, if not Go Below Back to the Cake

1. In a microwave safe bowl or in your saucepan, heat heavy or whipping cream until almost boiling.
2. Add chocolate, allow to gently simmer and whisk until mixture thickens and is smooth.
3. If using your microwave, heat cream for 1 minute on high, add chocolate, heat on medium and stir every 15 seconds until smooth.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool and thicken for about 10 minutes, stirring periodically. 
5. Pour your chocolate ganache all over the top of your cheesecake.
6. Smooth ganache as desired with a spatula and sprinkle your chopped peanut butter cups across the top to decorate if you would like. 
7. Allow cake to completely cool before placing in fridge overnight to set. You will be glad you did. 

Back to the Cake

1. Once cool, place in fridge and totally cover for the night.
2. When serving use a hot knife to slice (it is so much easier) and add whipped cream and chocolate sauce if desired. Enjoy!
3. Remove springform pan and prepare to serve.