Cafe Ole (Cafe au Lait) Cheesecake

This is just about everyone's favorite cheesecake. Aaron loves it because the bitterness of the coffee offsets the sweetness of the cream cheese so that, in his words, he can "eat piece, after piece, after piece, after piece".

-----

1/3 cup butter, melted
2 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 3/4 cups finely crushed chocolate wafers (I just use Oreos...the whole Oreo)
4 tbsp water (added 2 tbsp. at a time)
1 tbsp instant coffee (I always use NesCafe)
3 8-oz packages of cream cheese (softened)
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs

1) To make the crust, combine the Oreos and butter. Press it into the bottom of an 8" cheesecake springform pan and 2" up the sides. Chill the crust while you're doing the rest of the steps.

2) Combine the chocolate, 2 tbsp of water, and coffee. Cook and stir over low heat until the chocolate starts to melt. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Stir in final 2 tbsp of water.

3) Next, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium until it's smooth. Add the eggs all at once, beating on low speed just until mixed. Be careful not to over beat.

4) Set aside and cover 2 cups of this cream cheese mixture.

5) Stir the cooled coffee mixture from step 2 into the remaining cheesecake mixture, stirring just until it is combined.

6) Pour the results of step 5 into the pan. Place the springform pan in a shallow baking pan, place in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until edge is set (but the center is still soft).

7) Pour the remaining cream cheese mixture from step 4 into the pan, around the outside edge of the chocolate mixture, letting it flow to the center. Spread it if necessary. Bake the completed cheesecake for an additional 25 minutes, or until the center appears nearly set when gently shaken.

8) Allow to cool in the springform pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Loosen sides of pan and cool for 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan and cool completely.

Cover and chill for at least 4 hours before serving.