EASY CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Put a large pot of water on to boil. When it reaches a boiling point, pour it into a casserole dish placed on the bottom rack in the oven, filling the casserole dish almost all the way. (This acts as a makeshift water bath and turns the oven into a "steam room," ensuring your cheesecake won't crack.)
• Crust
• To make the crust, add the graham crackers to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulse until they're processed to resemble a coarse meal.
• Add the butter, brown sugar and salt, and process or mix until combined.
• Press the crust mixture onto the bottom of a springform pan. Set aside.
• Cheesecake Batter
• To make the cheesecake filling, microwave the 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments on high power, scraping the side of the bowl between each increment. When melted, set aside to cool a bit.
• Add the cream cheese to a bowl and beat with a standing or hand-held mixer for 30 seconds or until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and cream together for about 1 min.
• Add the sour cream, heavy cream, melted chocolate, vanilla, and sea salt and beat until everything is mixed well.
• Crack the eggs into a separate bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the cream cheese mixture, scraping the side of the bowl after each addition. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the crust in the springform pan.
• Bake for 45 to 50 min. or until the side looks set but the center still jiggles slightly when nudged.
• Turn the oven off and prop the oven door open a little bit. Allow the cheesecake to cool for an hour in the oven.
• After the hour has passed, allow the cheesecake to cool completely on the counter before placing it in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.
• Chocolate Ganache
• Just before you're ready to serve the cheesecake, prepare the chocolate ganache.
• Add the chocolate for the ganache to a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave it in 30-second increments on high power, scraping the side of the bowl and stirring between each increment. When the chocolate is almost melted, add the heavy cream. Return to the microwave and microwave in 30-second increments until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth when stirred.
• Pour the ganache over the cheesecake.
• Slice with a hot, clean knife and serve!