1-First, preheat your oven to 325°F and prepare a greased 9-inch springform pan. In a bowl, mix the chocolate wafer crumbs with melted butter and press it firmly into the pan to form the crust, then bake for 10 minutes and let it cool.

2-Next, for the filling, melt the bittersweet chocolate using a double-boiler method in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. In a food processor or blender, beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream; mix until combined. Gently fold in the melted chocolate and vanilla extract to create a uniform batter.

3-Now, pour the filling over the cooled crust. Wrap the pan in heavy-duty foil and place it in a larger roasting pan. Add hot water to the roasting pan until it reaches about 1 inch up the sides for a water bath, then bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes until the center is set but still jiggly.

4-After baking, cool the cheesecake in the pan, run a knife around the edges, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set the texture.

5-For the ganache, heat the heavy cream until simmering, pour it over the semi-sweet chocolate, wait 1 minute, then whisk until glossy. Stir in the cubed unsalted butter until melted, let it cool until set, and pour over the chilled cheesecake.

6-Finally, let the cheesecake rest for 1 hour before slicing and serving. The total preparation time is about 30 minutes prep, 1 hour 10 minutes cooking, 6 hours chilling, and roughly 7 hours 40 minutes overall worth every minute, I promise!