Cookies & Cream Cheesecake

This cheesecake, you may take notice, is two toned…chocolate and vanilla.  Both chocolate and vanilla are enjoyable by themselves, yet together, these elements create an even sweeter and more satisfying experience than either of them could produce alone.  And everyone, no matter what point of view they may hold on anything else, is bound to be able to agree that this is truly enjoyable to eat.  Any reason we can find to agree these days, we believe is a win….even if it happens to be over cheesecake:-)

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Crust:
24 Oreo cookies
1/2 stick of butter melted
1/4 cup sugar

Crush Oreos in food processor then add melted butter and sugar and process again until well combined.  Press into the bottom and sides of a 10″ springform pan.

Filling:
2 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temp
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
5 eggs and 2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sour cream
16 Oreos, crushed

Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add sugar and beat again for 3 minutes to thoroughly combine.  Beat in vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition then beat in the 2 yolks.  Add sour cream and crushed Oreos and stir by hand to combine, or beat on slowest speed for no more than 30 seconds.  Pour filling into prepared crust and smooth the top.  Place cheesecake on a cookie sheet and put into the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 200 degrees and continue baking for 1 hour.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight.

Topping:
1/2 stick of butter
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 cups powdered sugar
9 Oreo cookies

Melt butter and add cocoa powder and milk.  Heat to a simmer.  Pour this mixture over 2 cups of powered sugar and beat until smooth.  Drizzle this over the top and down the sides of the chilled cheesecake.  After drizzling sides pour the remaining topping on the top of the cheesecake.  Refrigerate for about 15 minutes to chill topping .  While it is chilling whip 1 cup of whipping cream with 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/4 cup of powdered sugar.  Using a piping bag and tip, (or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped away)  pipe 16 whipped cream circle mounds on the edge of the cake and one in the center.  Place an Oreo cookie on every other mound of whipped cream on the edge and one on the center mound.

Life can be full of love and joy, and certainly be much more abundant when we find, and focus on what unites us rather than what divides us.  Now invite someone you don’t always see eye to eye with, don’t look like, or who has a totally different life experience than yours, and ENJOY each other and some cheesecake!!!