Oreo Cheesecake

This, by far, is my best cheesecake ever.  I never really realized how off the density of my cheesecakes were until one dessert at Uno's changed my outlook on how cheesecake should be.  The cheesecake my dad and I shared was so rich, dense, and smooth.  I knew I had been making mistakes, and therefore, creating a proper cheesecake became on my list of baking to-do's.

Let me recall my cheesecake history...

First: Mini Kraft-recipe cheesecake bars that I cut down into bite-sized pieces.  These had the taste of cheesecake, but I didn't feel they were official as I didn't use a springform pan.

Second: My brown apple disaster of a cheesecake.  There was no way that cheesecake should have even turned out.  I was too ambitious for my own good.  Especially for being a beginner and trying to tackle such an involving recipe.

Third: My banana cream cheesecake for Julian's birthday.  Again, I messed up.  The cake fell into the back of the oven, spilling liquidy cheesecake into the bottom of my oven, sending me into a frenzy, causing me to place the cheesecake outside of the heat for quite some time to prevent this mess from burning.  Not good.  Plus, the recipe called for a 10" springform pan, but mine is only 8".  So I had a lot of extra that I made into a mini cheesecake, but still, I think I overfilled the main cake anyways.

Most recent: Oreo cheesecake, a Cheesecake Factory copycat recipe.  Again, this recipe called for a 9" springform pan, but I used my 8" again and made the leftovers into a little pie.  Except this time I was smart and I didn't fill the pan to the rim.  I let this rest the proper amount of time, and boy was it worth it.  This has had the best texture I've ever achieved.  It is so dense compared to any of the other cheesecakes I've attempted, and perhaps at the time, though I had mastered.  Although my other cheesecakes have had the flavor of cheesecake, they certainly have not had this consistency.  Lets just say that this 8" cheesecake stands at less than a quarter of a piece after one day of its presentment.

Copycat Cheesecake Factory Oreo Cheesecake 

From The Recipe Secret Blog

Ingredients:

Filling
1 1/2 pound cream cheese
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup flour
8 ounces sour cream
5 Oreo cookies (coarsely chopped for the batter)
10 coarsely chopped Oreo cookies for the topping

Crust
1 1/2 cup Oreo cookie crumbs (about 25 Oreo cookies finely chopped)
2 tablespoon melted butter
9″ spring form pan (buttered on bottom and sides)

Directions:

1. Mix melted butter with Oreo crumbs and press in the bottom of the spring pan and 1 1/2″ up the sides, set aside.
2.All Ingredients must be at room temperature before beginning.  Beat cream cheese with a mixer on low until fluffy.
3. Slowly add sugar and continue beating cream cheese until mixed well.
4. Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until blended.
5. Measure the vanilla, salt and flour, pour into cream cheese and egg mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat.
6. Stir in the coarsely chopped oreo cookies with a spoon.
7. Pour cream cheese into the spring pan and place the nine coarsely chopped Oreo Cookies on to of the cream mixture.
8. Place pan on the top rack and in the middle of a preheated oven at 325 degrees F and bake for one hour and 15 minutes.
9.After that time, keep oven door open and let the cheesecake stay in the oven for one hour. Remove from oven and let cool enough to place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

I filled my 8" springform pan until it there was enough room under the rim to prevent sloshing of the batter as I walked it over to the oven. Then, for the extra, I created another crust using crushed oreos and melted butter in a pie tin, and then poured the extra batter over. I baked this cake for about 45 minutes, until the edges started turning brown and the center was set.