Chocolate Cheesecake

I was Introduced to this cheesecake about 6 years ago. I was given a piece that was brought home by my Mum after a dinner party.
The cheesecake was said to be made by a friend of her friend.
It must have been the best cheesecake I ever had and of course I instantly asked her to try and get the recipe for me.
"Marianne's Cheesecake" the recipe said. The name just stuck and it has always been referred to as "Marianne's Cheesecake." The funny thing is, I have never met Marianne, but I would like to thank her where ever she is for this delightful cheesecake recipe.

There's absolutely nothing complicated about this recipe. Its simplicity is what makes this cheesecake so appealing to make (and eat) and there is no baking required.
The recipe actually calls for digestive biscuits for the base of the cheesecake, but now that I'm living in New York and can't buy them so easily, I just used chocolate chip cookies.

Marianne's Cheesecake

For the base:

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chip cookies (or chocolate digestive biscuits if you have them)
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

For the top:

• 3 1/4 cups really good dark chocolate (broken into small pieces)
• 1 cup finely ground white sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tubs soft cream cheese (8 oz tubs)

In a food processor, grind the chocolate chip cookies to course crumbs. Then add the butter, brown sugar and cocoa powder and pulse a few times until combined.

Add this mixture to a 9 inch round spring form cake pan and press it firmly into the bottom of the pan until you're left with a flat, compressed surface.

Place the pan in the refrigerator.

Fill 1/3 of a medium sized sauce pan with water and heat on the stove until the water begins to simmer, then turn the heat to medium/low.

Place a heat proof bowl on top of the pan and add the broken up chocolate.

When the chocolate has melted add the sugar and stir well, then add the heavy cream.

Let this all melt together and then take the bowl off the heat.

Add the softened cream cheese to the bowl of chocolate and whisk this well with an electric mixer.

Pour this mixture on top of the base of the cake pan and smooth out on top with a spatula. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 3 hours until set.

When the cheesecake is ready to be served, run a knife around the whole cake, then un-clip the spring form pan gently and remove the top.

I like to take the cheesecake out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving, so that it slightly softens.