Ingredients
Chocolate Cookie Crust
2 1/4 cups (300 grams) chocolate cookie crumbs (from about 18 chocolate sandwich cookies)
4 tablespoons (56 grams) unsalted butter, melted (or use salted butter and skip the salt)
Pinch fine sea salt
Nonstick spray
Cheesecake Filling(s)
1 3/4 pounds (795 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup (66 grams) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (56 grams) confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 grams) vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups (345 grams) cold heavy cream
8 ounces (226 grams) bittersweet chocolate, melted
5 ounces (142 grams) milk chocolate, melted
5 ounces (142 grams) white chocolate, melted
Directions
Chocolate Cookie Crust
In a food processor, pulse the cookies until fine crumbs form. Add the butter and salt and pulse to combine.
Lightly grease a 9-inch cake pan with nonstick spray (you can also use a 9-inch flan or cake ring, placed on a flat parchment-lined baking sheet). Press the crust into an even layer into the base and about halfway up the sides of the pan.
Freeze the crust to firm it up for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Cheesecake Filling(s)
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes. Add the granulated and confectioners’ sugars and mix for 2 minutes more. Add the vanilla and salt and mix to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl, scraping out the bowl well. Return the mixer bowl to the stand mixer and fit with the whip attachment. In the stand mixer, whip the cream on medium speed. Continue to whip until the cream reaches medium peaks; you want it to be well aerated, but not too stiff, so it’s easy to fold with the other ingredients.
Add about one-quarter of the whipped cream to the bowl with the cream cheese mixture and use a silicone spatula to combine and lighten the texture of the base. Gently fold the remaining whipped cream into the mixture in 2 more additions.
Divide the mixture among 3 bowls total (including the one it’s already in), placing about one-third of the batter in each bowl.
The chocolate should be freshly melted and cooled only slightly. If it cools too much, it will set up/form clumps when you try to add it to the batter. Gently stir the melted bittersweet chocolate into one of the bowls, then pour on top of the frozen crust and spread into an even layer.
Stir the milk chocolate into the next bowl, then pour on top of the dark chocolate layer. Gently spread into an even layer.
Finally, mix the white chocolate into the final bowl, then pour it on top of the milk chocolate layer. Gently spread into an even layer.
Refrigerate the cheesecake for 12 hours (overnight). Using a small offset spatula or paring knife, gently loosen the edges of the chilled cheesecake, then remove the outer ring. (You can also use a kitchen torch to lightly warm the edges, which will make it unmold really smoothly and is ideal when using a flan/cake ring, too.)
***Note: If desired, you can bake the crust at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes. This does make the crust crisper and hold together a bit better, which can make for a sturdier, easier-to-slice cheesecake.
Adapted from food52.com