Chocolate Orange Cheesecake

Instructions

1. Lightly grease the bottom but not the sides of a 9 or 10 inch springform pan. Line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper for easy release from the pan later, once the cheesecake has cooled.
2. Mix together the cookie crumbs, melted butter and 3 tbsp sugar and press into pan.
3. Cream together the cream cheese and 1 ¼ cups sugar.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. Add the vanilla extract and whipping cream and blend until smooth.
6. then divide mixture into 2 equal portions in separate bowls..
7. To the first half of the mixture, stir in the melted chocolate (or cocoa and additional cream)
8. Pour into bottom of the prepared springform pan.
9. To the second half of the mixture, stir in the finely grated and chopped zest 1 large orange. Carefully spoon this mixture over the top of the chocolate mixture already in the pan.
10. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 60 minutes or until the surface of the cake no longer looks glossy. Remove from oven and immediately run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake. Cool completely in the pan. Top with the Ganache glaze.
11. To make the ganache glaze, in a heavy bottomed pot, scald but do not boil the 1/4 cup whipping cream, then melt in the chocolate chips over low heat.
12. Pour over cooled cake or to create Ganache lace, cool slightly and spoon into piping bag fitted with a number 3 tip. Pipe over the entire cake in a circular, overlapping swirling pattern, repeating coverage all over the cake until all Ganache glaze is used. Garnish with orange segments, orange zest curls or orange slices.