Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake

Crust:
1-1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (12 Oreo cookies)
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling:
2 ((8 oz)) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup green creme de menthe
2 tablespoons white creme de cocoa

Topping:
1 (4-ounce) bar sweet baking chocolate or 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Whipped cream for garnish, optional


Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make the crust, first butter a 9-inch springform pan. (The one I use
actually has an imprint on the bottom that tells me it's 8 1/2 inches. The
sides are almost 3 inches high. When I bake the cheesecake, it rises up to
the top.) Wrap the bottom of the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil or a
single layer of heavy duty aluminum foil. Set aside.

Stir the cookie crumbs and melted butter together in a medium bowl until all
the crumbs are uniformly moist. Turn the buttery crumbs into the prepared
pan. Press crumbs evenly into bottom of pan. (At this point, the crust can
be covered and frozen for up to 2 months.) Bake the crust for 10 minutes in
preheated oven.

Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325°F. Set the crust aside to
cool on a rack while you prepare filling. I sometimes place the pan in the
freezer for a quick chill.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed of an electric
mixer until soft and creamy, about 4 minutes. (I use my stand mixer with the
paddle attachment. If you use your electric hand mixer, be prepared to stand
with mixer in hand for several minutes.) With the mixer running, add the
sugar and salt and beat for another 4 minutes, until the mixture is velvety
smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each
addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and blend in the whipping cream,
creme de menthe and creme de cocoa.

Use a rubber spatula to scrape the batter into the pan. Bake the cheesecake
for about an hour or maybe a bit more. The top should be lightly browned and
will have risen to the top of the pan or maybe even a little higher than the
rim of the pan. It will still seem a little jiggly in the middle.

Transfer the cheesecake in its pan to a cooling rack. Make topping by
melting chocolate over very low heat in a heavy saucepan or in a bowl in the
microwave on 50% power, stirring often. Allow the chocolate to cool for 5
minutes. Stir in sour cream. Spread chocolate topping on slightly cooled
cheescake. Cool completely, then refrigerate several hours. Flavors will
develop and improve when refrigerated overnight.

At serving time, run a blunt-tipped knife around inside edge of pan. Remove
sides of pan. Cut into wedges to serve. Garnish with freshly whipped cream,
if desired.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.