Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9 inch springform pan with butter.

To prepare the crust, stir together the cookie crumbs and melted butter. This can be done in the sprinform pan or in a separate dish. Press the mixture evenly and firmly on the bottom of the baking pan and set aside.

To make the filling, combine the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat using an electric mixer or whisk, until smooth.

Add in the eggs and continue to mix until just blended. Be careful not to over-mix as this will lead to cracks in the cheesecake.

Melt the chocolate in 20-second increments in the microwave or over a double boiler until smooth. Cool the chocolate slightly and then quickly stir it into the cheesecake batter.

Pour in the heavy cream, sour cream, and stir till just combined.

Dissolve the instant espresso powder in the hot water and add this to the batter along with the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is well-blended.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread slightly so that the top is even.

Bake for 45 minutes. The center will still be jiggly- but you want to take it out at that stage so that the cheesecake retains its creamy texture. It will solidify as it cools, so fear not.

Cool thoroughly and chill before serving. If your cheesecake has any cracks, you can cover it up with berries (pictured above) or chocolate ganache.

Serve cold with fresh berries and chocolate shavings.