Chocolate cheesecake with fudge ganache and chocolate whipped cream

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Pulse the Oreos in a food processor about 30 seconds, to the texture of fine sand with no big clumps.

Drizzle in the melted butter while pulsing. Squeeze a spoonful in the palm; it should hold together, otherwise add one more tablespoon of butter.

Transfer the crumbs to a nine inch springform pan and press them over the base and one inch up the side with a flat bottomed cup, pressing and turning.

Bake the crust at 350F for 10 minutes, until fragrant and firm.

As soon as the crust comes out, reduce the oven to 300F.

Chop the bittersweet and semisweet chocolate into small even pieces.

Add the hot coffee to the chocolate and microwave in 10 to 20 second bursts, stirring between, until nearly smooth; set aside and let residual heat melt the last pieces.

Beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium speed for 2 minutes until creamy.

Add the sugar and salt and mix one minute on medium, scraping the bowl and the paddle down.

Add the sour cream and the vanilla and mix on medium low.

Add the eggs one at a time on medium low, scraping the bowl down between each.

Add the melted chocolate, now only warm, and mix on medium low until fully combined.

Sift in the flour and fold it through by hand.

Pour the batter into the crust, shimmy the pan and smooth the top.

Tent the top tightly with foil and bake at 300F for one hour with a pan of hot water at the very bottom of the oven.

Remove the tenting and bake a further 40 to 50 minutes, until puffed at the edge and matte.

Turn the oven off, crack the door with a wooden spoon and leave the cheesecake inside one hour to cool slowly.

Cool a further hour on the counter to room temperature, then cover loosely and refrigerate overnight.

Microwave the chocolate chips and heavy cream 35 seconds, stir until smooth, and rest five minutes for the residual heat to finish melting.

Unmould the cheesecake, spread the ganache over the top with an offset spatula and chill a few minutes to set.

Whip the cold heavy cream with the powdered sugar, vanilla and sifted cocoa on medium speed to soft peaks, then finish to stiff peaks by hand.

Pipe a rope of the chocolate whipped cream around the edge with a closed star tip, turning the cake as you pipe.