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To make the crust:
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Preheat oven to 325 F. In a food processor, process cream-filled cookies to fine crumbs (cream filling and all). Add melted butter and combine; press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Place spring form on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for 10 minutes then remove it from the oven and cool. Keep the oven on.
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To make the filling:
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat together on low speed the room temperature cream cheese, sugar, and salt; scraping sides of bowl if needed. When mixture is silky smooth, add eggs, one at a time; scraping sides of bowl if needed. Finally, add the room temperature sour cream, followed by the melted chocolate. Mix on low until combined, scraping the bowl if needed.
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Pour mixture into the spring form pan and return to the oven for 1 hour. Make the ganache and blanch the optional pistachios while the cheesecake is baking (directions below).
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After the cheesecake has baked for an hour, turn off the oven and do not open the door for another hour. Then open the door slightly for yet another hour (that's a total of 3 hours so far). Finally remove cheesecake from oven and rest on the counter until completely cool. Top with cooled ganache and optional pistachios, cover spring form with plastic or place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight before releasing the spring form sides from the base. For neat slices, heat and dry your knife blade between each cut.
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To make the ganache topping:
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While the cheesecake is baking, prepare ganache by bringing cream to a boil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. As soon as the cream boils, remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate. Stir to combine. Pour ganache into a bowl. Cover with a tea towel (not plastic) and allow it to rest until the cheesecake has cooled completely.
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To blanch the pistachios:
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Put shelled pistachios in a pot of boiling water. Then remove it from the heat and wait 1 minute. Drain off the water and rub the pistachios with a clean kitchen towel to remove the skins. You can use the pistachios right away, or toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until they're fragrant (just a minute or two). Cool and chop.
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Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart.
