Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170 C (340 F) standard / 150 C (300 F) fan-forced. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with baking or parchment paper.
2. Add Oreo cookies (cream and all) to a food processor and whiz until finely crushed. Place crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Melt butter in the microwave, then pour over cookie crumbs and mix well. It should resemble wet sand.
3. Place wet crumbs in your prepared pan and press down firmly using the back of a spoon to form one even layer. Pop in the fridge.
4. Add cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and vanilla and beat again. Then add eggs, one at a time, beating on a low speed until incorporated.
5. In a separate bowl, add chocolate. Heat chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted and smooth. 
6. Add melted chocolate, sour cream and cornflour to the cream cheese mixture and stir gently using a spatula just until combined – try not to over mix.
7. Pour cheesecake filling over cookie crust and smooth the top. Bake in the oven for approximately 35-40 minutes or until it no longer wobbles in the middle. Try not to over bake it as it will continue to cook as it cools. Leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar (with the oven turned off) for at least one hour.
8. Remove cheesecake and leave to cool at room temperature before transferring to the fridge. The cheesecake is best left in the fridge for 3-4 hours (or overnight) until it becomes nice and firm before slicing.
9. To make the chocolate ganache, heat cream in the microwave until warm and pour it over chopped chocolate.  Stir with a fork until chocolate is melted and smooth.
10. Pour chocolate ganache over cheesecake and spread out into one even layer. Pop into the fridge for 10-15 minutes to set.
11. In a large mixing bowl, add cream. Beat using an electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks form. The cream will thicken and become whipped.
12. Using a piping bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe rounds of cream along the edges of your cheesecake. Decorate with fresh cherries.