Instructions

Prep

1. 1 ½ hours before preparing the cheesecake, set out the cream cheese (678 grams/ 3- 8 oz packages), eggs (3 large), and sour cream (180 grams/ ¾ cup) to come to room temperature. It is extremely important for a creamy cheesecake that your ingredients are not cold. (I find cream cheese takes a very long time to come to room temp.)
2. Position an oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 375°F/ 190°C.

Make the crust

1. Place the chocolate graham crackers (200 grams/ 7 ounces) into a food processor or blender and pulse until you have cookie crumbs. Alternatively, you can place them in a ziplock bag and use a rolling pin to roll back and forth over the cookies until they are crumbs. Pour the crumbs into a medium bowl. You should have about 2 cups of crumbs.
2. Whisk in the granulated sugar (50 grams/ 1/4 cup).
3. Pour in melted butter (113 grams/ 1/2 cup) until all of the crumbs are completely coated with butter.
4. Firmly press the cookie crumb mixture into the bottom and about halfway up the sides of a 9-inch (23-cm) spring form pan. The bottom of a glass or a measuring cup can be helpful to press the crumbs into an even layer.
5. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while preparing the filling.

Make the filling

1. Turn the oven temperature up to 450°F/ 230°C.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar (225 grams/ 1 cup + 2 tablespoons), and flour (15 grams/ 2 tablespoons) and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, until well combined. You want it to be very smooth, but you don’t want to whip too much air into it. Scrape down the bowl. 
3. Add the eggs one at a time while the mixer is running on low speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. 
4. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract (1 ½ teaspoons) and vanilla seeds (scraped seeds from 1 vanilla bean). Mix on low speed until incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure all of the mixture is evenly combined.
5. Fold in the mini chocolate chips (175 grams/ 1 cup) with a spatula.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. 
7. Bake at 450°F/ 230°C for 8 minutes. Leave the door closed and reduce the oven temperature to 200°F/ 93°C for 50 minutes. Turn the oven off (again, do not open the oven door!) and leave the cheesecake in the off oven for 1 hour.
8. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let sit at room temperature until it is completely at room temperature- around 2 hours. Cover the cheesecake (still in the pan) with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours before removing the sides of the pan.

Make the topping

1. After the cheesecake has finished chilling in the refrigerator, chop the chocolate (113 grams/ 4 ounces) up into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Alternatively you can use chocolate chips. 
2. Heat the cream (118 grams/ ½ cup) in a saucepan over medium heat until it is simmering. 
3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the salt (one pinch). 
4. Put the whisk directly in the center of the chocolate/cream mixture and begin whisking in small circles and slowly moving outward in bigger circles until the mixture is smooth. 
5. While still warm (but not hot), drizzle the ganache over the top of the cheesecake and let it spill over the sides a bit. Smooth out with a rubber spatula or the back of a large spoon.