Mocha Rum Cheesecake

Crust
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 ½ cups chocolate wafer crumbs or Oreo crumbs

Filling
4 Tbsp light rum
1 Tbsp instant espresso
1 pound (2 8-oz pkg) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
4 oz semisweet chocolate, melted
1 ½ tsp vanilla
3 cups sour cream at room temperature

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Crust: Combine butter and chocolate cookie crumbs. Press into bottom of buttered 10-inch springform pan. (I put parchment on the bottom of mine.) Bake 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on rack.

To make filling: In separate bowl, whisk the rum and espresso until well blended; set aside. In large bowl on low speed, beat cream cheese until very smooth. Gradually add sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Scrape down bowl periodically with rubber spatula. Beat in melted chocolate until smooth. Stir in vanilla and rum mixture until well combined. Stir in sour cream, mixing thoroughly.

Pour batter into pan and set pan on baking sheet. Bake until edges are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 80 minutes. At the end of the baking time, turn off the heat and using a wooden spoon to keep the oven door slightly ajar, cool the cake in oven for 1 hour before removing. Cover and refrigerate at least 12 hours.

Remove cake from refrigerator at least 15- 30 minutes before serving.

No toppings should be added according to the recipe, but I wanted to decorate mine. Here is what I did:

Chocolate Ganache:
2 squares semisweet chocolate, cut up
1 ½ - 2 Tbsp butter
¾ cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp hot water

Melt chocolate and butter in microwave for about 20-30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and hot water. Add more water if too thick. Pour over cake, smoothing so top of cake is covered.

Decorator frosting (not very much):
¼ cup shortening
½ tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1-2 Tbsp milk

Beat shortening and extract w/ electric mixer 30 seconds. Add half of powdered sugar, beating well. Add ½ Tbsp milk. Gradually beat in remaining powdered sugar and enough milk to make of decorating consistency.