Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake

Brownies:
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
3/4 c. butter
1 3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. flour

Crust:
1 1/2 c. finely ground chocolate cookies
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/3 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt

Cheesecake:
3 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
4 lg. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sugar

Ganache:
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 c. plus 1 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter, cut into 2 pieces

To make brownies, preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving ends of foil overhanging sides of pan. Grease foil and set aside.

Microwave chocolate and butter in a large bowl on high for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add salt and flour; mix well. Spread into prepared pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs (do not overbake). Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove brownies from pan, using foil handles. Cool brownies, then cut into 3/4- to 1-inch squares for use in cheesecake. Set aside 2 c. for recipe -- you will have many extra brownies left over.

To prepare crust, combine all crust ingredients in mixing bowl and stir until well-combined. Press into bottom and one inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Fill right away or chill for up to 2 hours.

To make cheesecake, preheat oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed, scraping down bowl between additions. Add vanilla and sugar and beat until well-combined.

Fold in brownie cubes very gently and pour mixture into cookie crumb crust. Bake in middle of oven for 45 minutes or until cake is set 3 inches from edge but center is still slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken. Allow to cool completely.

To make ganache, put chopped chocolate in heatproof bowl. Bring cream to a boil, then pour half of the cream over the chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds. Working with a whisk or rubber spatula, gently stir chocolate and cream together in small circles, starting at center of bowl and working your way out in increasingly larger concentric circles. Pour in remainder of cream and blend into chocolate, using the same circular motions. When ganache is smooth and shiny, stir in butter piece by piece. Do not stir ganache any more than you must to blend ingredients -- the less you work it, the darker, smoother, and shinier it will be. Let sit until thickened to desired consistency. Pour on top of cooled cheesecake and spread evenly. Chill to set.