CheeseCake Factory Restaurant Recipes-Oreo Cheesecake

1 pkg. Oreo brand cookies
1/3 cup melted unsalted butter
3 pkgs. cream cheese (8 oz.)*
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream *
1 tsp. vanilla extract
(Optional)
Whipped cream and additional cookies for garnish
* should be at room temperature

* Finely crush 25-30 of the cookies and combine with the melted butter to form bottom crust. For the bottom I scrape the cream off. The cookies used to garnish I keep the cream in, Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pan.

* Beat cream cheese and sugar together with electric mixer set on medium until they are creamy. Lightly beat eggs and blend in one at a time by hand. Add sour cream and vanilla and continue to blend well.

* Coarsely chop remaining oreos and fold into the blended batter. Pour mixture into crust in baking pan.

* Bake in a 350° F oven for 50-60 minutes or until firmly set. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes and remove by carefully running a knife around the outer edge.

* Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and serve garnished with whipped cream and half an oreo.

Todd Wilbur suggests baking cheesecakes in a water bath to achieve a texture closer to restaurant quality. The water keeps the cake moist as it cooks and prevents it from cracking.

A springform pan lined with parchment will also help to get the cake out of the pan more easily when it has cooled as will chilling the crust in the freezer while you prepare the filling.

For extra flavor add a 1/4 tsp. cinnamon to the crust mixture while mixing it and you can add 1/2 cup sour cream and 2-3 tsps. sugar to the whipped cream topping. For an extra creamy cheesecake add another egg to the filling.

This is for the hot days that you don't want to cook, but you want a scrumptious dessert.

Recipe has been extracted from Kraft website.

Ingredients Needed

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

How To Make It

COARSELY chop 15 of the cookies; set aside. Note: For these cookies chop the entire cookie.

FINELY crush remaining cookies; mix with butter. Press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling. Note: For these cookies separate the cream. Just crush the cookie portion. Add the cream to the cream cheese mixture.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping and chopped cookies. Spoon over crust; cover.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Ingredients:
***Cheesecake***
24 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into chunks
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
***Chocolate Cake***
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
***Chocolate Glaze***
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons whipping cream
***German Chocolate Topping***
2 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
***Garnish***
Whipping cream
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Directions:

For Cheesecake: In bowl of electric mixer or in food processor fitted with metal blade, blend cream cheese, sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.

For Chocolate Cake: In large microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 2 to 3 minutes, or until just melted. Cool slightly. With fork, beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth. Add flour and mix until blended. Spoon into well-greased 9 1/2-inch springform pan, spreading evenly. Carefully, spread cheese mixture evenly over top of chocolate batter.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking 55 to 60 minutes. Turn oven off, open oven door and let cake cool completely to room temperature in oven. Refrigerate until well chilled.

Remove sides from springform. Invert cake onto serving plate, so cheesecake is on bottom and chocolate cake is on top. Spread sides with Chocolate Glaze. Spread top evenly with German Chocolate Topping. Refrigerate until serving time. Garnish with whipped cream if desired.

For Chocolate Glaze: In small microwave-safe bowl combine chocolate chips with whipping cream. Microwave on HIGH power for 45 to 60 seconds. Beat until smooth. Spread on sides of cheesecake.

For German Chocolate Topping: In small microwave-safe bowl, beat egg yolks. Stir in sugar, butter and whipping cream. Microwave on HIGH power 4 minutes, stirring every minute. Remove from microwave and stir in vanilla extract. Stir in coconut and pecans until well blended. Refrigerate until mixture is of spreading consistency. Spread on top of the cheesecake.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Cheesecake Factory`s German Chocolate Cheesecake serves/makes 12