Grasshopper Cheesecake

From the Lion House Baking with my own adaptions:

Crust:

1/3 c butter

1/4 c sugar

1 1/4 c crushed graham crackers

4.5 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 c heavy cream.

1. Preheat oven at 375 degrees F. Melt butter; stir in sugar.

2. Add in crushed graham crackers, mix until evenly moist.

3. Press into 10" spring form pan or 4-4" mini spring pans. Bake for 4-5 until edges are light brown (do not over-brown). Remove. 

4. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and cream together in microwave in 20 second intervals until smooth and shiney. Spread over crust. Set aside.

Filling:

3-8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 c sugar

3/4 c sour cream

1 tsp peppermint extract

green food colouring (optional)

4 eggs

5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides. Beat in sugar and sour cream.

6. Add peppermint extract and food colouring. Beat until colouring is evenly spread.

7. Beat in eggs, adding one at a time and waiting until well mixed. Filling should be smooth and creamy.

8. Pour mixture onto crust. Place in middle of oven over a pan of water on bottom rack. Bake for 1 hr for 10" pan and 45 minutes for 4" pans.

9. Turn off oven, prop door open, and let cake(s) cool slowly for an hour. Remove and chill. Can be topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, crushed candy canes, chopped nuts, etc.