Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust
1 3/4 cup Chocolate Graham Crackers
5 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
Chocolate Cheesecake
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, soft at room temperature
3/4 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream, full fat
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup best quality semi or bittersweet chocolate chips
Mint Cheesecake
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, soft at room temperature
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream, full fat
2 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
6 drops green food color
Chocolate Ganache or Sauce
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
1 box chocolate mint candies
Garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

To make crust: Crush graham crackers with a rolling pin to obtain 1 3/4 cups. Add melted butter and sugar and combine well. Press onto bottom of a 9 inch diameter spring form pan and place in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Place springform pan on 3 layers of aluminum foil and wrap outside of pan tightly with foil. Ensure that no water could penetrate thru foil. Place in a roasting pan and set aside.
For chocolate layer, blend cream cheese and sugar on lowest speed, alternatively mix by using a hand held spatula until no lumps remain. Scrape bowl well. Add one egg at a time waiting for previous added egg to be fully incorporated and mixture shows no lumps. Scrape bowl and beater between additions. Add sour cream and vanilla.
Place chocolate in a bowl and melt over very low simmering water and stir until just melted. Add to above and combine well, pour batter into springform pan.
For mint layer blend cream cheese and sugar on lowest speed, alternatively mix by using a hand held spatula until no lumps remain. Scrape bowl well. Add one egg at a time waiting for previous added egg to be fully incorporated and mixture shows no lumps. Scrape bowl and beater between additions. Add sour cream, peppermint and green food color.
Spoon mint layer on top of chocolate layer. (Don't pour.)
Pour water into roasting pan about 1-inch high and place into oven.
Bake until center of cake no longer trembles when tapping sides of pan, about 90 minutes, but it could take up to 2 hours depending on temperature of cheesecake batter.
Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes and place in refrigerator overnight.
Run a sharp knife around edge and bottom of cheesecake and place on a serving platter.
Prepare ganache and while still warm pour half of ganache onto cheesecake. Serve remaining ganache reheated on side.
Whip cream and sugar until stiff peaks form, place in a piping bag fitted with a plain pastry tube and pipe a circle in center.
Chop chocolate mint chocolates in 4 pieces and place in center of cake. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.