Here’s your birthday cheesecake, H!

For his birthday last year, Harrison requested this. A couple weeks ago when I asked if he wanted  me to bake or buy a cake to celebrate, he asked for chocolate cheesecake with caramel sauce.  I said oh, like last year’s? He said no, totally different -- I want a graham crust, chocolate cheesecake, and caramel sauce to pour over. 
That’s the “back-story” -- here are the recipes:
for the crust:

• 10 oz. vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1 stick butter

Melt butter & stir in crumbs. Press into bottom of springform pan. Bake @350° for 10 minutes.
for the filling:

• 24 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup dark cocoa
• 12 oz. melted semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 4 eggs

Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the yogurt and beat some more. Blend in the brown sugar and beat until creamy. Sprinkle in the cocoa and beat until uniform in color. While the mixer is still running, drizzle in the melted chocolate.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. (Ensure springform will be waterproof for baking in water bath.) Scrape filling mixture onto crust. Bake @325° for around 90 minutes, until cake starts to firm in center. Turn off oven & let cool for an hour; then remove to rack to finish cooling. Free from sides of pan and refrigerate until serving time.
for the caramel sauce:

• 1 cup cream
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla

Heat all ingredients but vanilla for about 10 minutes, stirring gently, until mixture boils & thickens. Add extract and stir over heat for another minute or two.