Oreo Cheesecake

My youngest son, Maisur, requested a home-baked Oreo Cheesecake for his 10th birthday. Although his birthday was last Wednesday, I told him I could only bake it on Friday, a  holiday to commemorate Teachers' Day. He didn't mind, as long as I bake one. 

This time, I chose a recipe by George Geary, a professional cheesecake teacher & baker. From the scribble I made on the recipe page, I realised this was my second time using this recipe. The whole family loves this luscious cheesecake, especially the birthday boy! He can't stop eating it!

Chocolate Cookie (Oreo) Cheesecake
Recipe by George Geary from 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes.

Crust:
1&1/4 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (I used 21 Oreo cookies & removed the filling.)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
10 chocolate sandwich cookies (These are for decorating the side of pan, but I didn't do this.)

1. In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs & butter. Press into cheesecake pan. 
2. Cut sandwich cookies in half at the cream filling. Place each half, cookie side, against side of pan, one after another, creating a wall of chocolate sandwich cookies. 
3. Set aside in the freezer to firm.

Filling:
3 packages (each 8oz/250g) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream (I used Marigold low-fat yogurt.)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla (I used 3 tsp pure vanilla paste.)
4 chocolate sandwich cookies, quartered - I used 6.

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (180 deg C). 
2. Prepare a 9-inch (23cm) cheesecake pan, ungreased, or springform pan with 3-inch (7.5cm) sides, greased. (I used a 9-inch square cheesecake pan, i.e, a pan with removable base, just like a tart pan.)
3. In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream & sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes. (I beat until the cream cheese is smooth.)
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
5. Stir in vanilla. 
6. Fold in quartered cookies. 
7. Pour batter over frozen crust. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until the top is light brown & the center has a slight jiggle to it. (I baked using water-bath method.)
8. Cool on a rack for 2 hours. Cover with plastic wrap & refrigerate for at least 6 hours before decorating.

Decoration - Classic Whipped Cream: ( I didn't decorate my cake.)
1/2 cup whipping (35%) cream
2 tbsp granulated sugar

1. In a well-chilled bowl, whip cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. 
2. With the mixer still running, sprinkle sugar into cream & continue whipping until firm peaks form. 
3. Ice top of cheesecake with whipped cream & top with chocolate sandwich cookies.

I'm linking this post to Cook-Your-Books No 4 hosted by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours.