oreo cheesecake: an empty stomach filled

Tired and hungry. Two things I am feeling at the moment. Too lazy to get up and make something to eat, but too hungry to just sit here. Oh the dilemma!

I know what you're thinking; is she serious? Yeah, well, I don't take well to hunger. Food pretty much dominates my life so I take eating quite seriously. As a patissiere, it may seem as though I eat sweets all the time, but I actually prefer healthy food for the most part. But I have to admit that it's tough resisting desserts as times. Normally when I make something, I try to scale the recipe down or give most of it away to my family and friends. Besides, I think it's more fun when others  also get to enjoy the sweetnesses of life. Nothing compares to the feeling of getting other people fat. (Jokes!...or not)

So when a friend asked me to make him an Oreo cheesecake, I was over joyed because Oreos are definitely my favorite store-bought cookie. 

Whaaaat? I like store-bought stuff? Oh yes, I am no snob when it comes to food. I'll admit it, I love junk food. Now, that doesn't mean I eat it all the time. No no, just for when I have those really intense cravings.

Anyway, back to the cheesecake. As I was making it, there was a little bit of extra batter so I decided to make a mini cheesecake with it. Well, as soon as my family found out about this, I was obligated to bring it to them. Let me tell you that cheesecake is no joke in our family. It is hailed as some sort of god. So incidentally, I was left with a tiny piece. And it. was. good. Mmmm.

This post is featured on Cupcake Apothecary: A themed baker's Sunday and Something Swanky: Sweets with Thursday 

Oreo Cheesecake

I like my cheesecakes to be rich and dense, so if you're like me, you will most likely enjoy this recipe!

Ingredients 

1 pkg. (350 g or 550 g if you want more) Oreo cookies, divided

1/3 cup butter, melted

3 pkgs. (8-oz. - 250 g) cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Extra Oreo cookies, for garnish

Procedure

Preheat oven to 325 F. Finely crush about 15-20 cookies and coarsely chop about 10 cookies; set aside. Mix finely crushed cookie crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. Press on bottom of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.

In an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until creamy. Add eggs one at a time and beat only until just incorporated (beating the eggs too much is what makes the surface crack). Add sour cream and vanilla and fold in chopped cookies. Spread mixture onto prepared crust. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until set. (If necessary to prevent top from browning, tent with foil for the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking). If it's really wobbly, it's not ready; if it's only slightly wobbly (one ripple), it's ready - it will set as it cools. Turn off heat and leave to cool completely in oven. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or preferably overnight before serving.

Run a hot knife around the side to remove from pan. If necessary, level off top with a serrated knife. Spread chocolate glaze and garnish with Oreo halves or as desired.

Chocolate glaze

Ingredients

1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy cream

1/8 cup (25 g) sugar

1 tbsp (25 g) butter

1/8 cup (25 g) corn syrup

125 g bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Procedure

Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Heat the cream, sugar, butter and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering and pour over chocolate. Mix until smooth. Pour immediately over cake and spread with an offset spatula. Do not wait too long before spreading on cake otherwise the glaze with start to seize and leave ugly lines. Like any sort of glaze or ganache, the more you stir, the more it will thicken so be weary.