Graham Cracker Crust 

1. Preheat the oven to 325F(165C). Double wrap an 8 or 9 inch springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Lightly grease the sides and base of the pan.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, add the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and salt. Use a fork to mix ingredients together to combine.
3. Pour melted, cooled butter over graham cracker mixture and mix until mixture appears completely moisten.
4. Transfer graham cracker mixture to prepared springform pan. Use the back of a measuring cup or hands to evenly press mixture into the base of the pan.
5. Bake graham cracker crust for 10-12 minutes or until the crust becomes fragrant and takes on a rich golden brown color.
6. Set aside the crust to cool as the cheesecake batter is prepared. Reduce oven temperature to 300F (150C).

Vanilla Cheesecake 

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand-held electric mixer, add the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar and cornstarch.
2. Cream ingredients together at medium speed until batter appears smooth without any lumps, about 3-4 minutes. Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and base of the mixing bowl.
3. Mix in the vanilla extract into the cheesecake batter at medium speed, about 1 minute.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the eggs into the cheesecake batter one at a time.
5. Stop the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides and base of the mixing bowl. Mix batter for an additional minute at low speed.
6. Pour the cheesecake batter into the cooled graham cracker crust.
7. Transfer cheesecake filled springform pan into a larger baking/roasting pan and place in the oven. Carefully pour hot water into the larger pan about 1-2 inches (halfway) up the sides of the springform pan.
8. Bake the vanilla cheesecake for 60-75 minutes. Cheesecake is ready when the edges appear slightly puffed and the center jiggles a little when the springform pan is gently shaken.
9. Cool the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar for one hour.
10. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run an offset/angled spatula along the sides to help separate cheesecake from the sides of the pan.
11. Cool the cheesecake at room temperature, about 2-3 hours before refrigerating to set for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.

Chocolate Ganache Layer 

Swiss Meringue Topping 

1. Thoroughly clean all kitchen tools (mixing bowl, whisk attachment of stand mixer and digital kitchen thermometer) that will be used for making the meringue ensuring there is no presence of residual grease.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the egg whites, sugar and salt. Whisk ingredients together to combine.
3. Place egg white mixture over a double boiler/pot of simmering water and whisk constantly for 8-10 minutes or until the mixture registers 160 F (71C) on a digital kitchen thermometer. There should be no presence of sugar granules in the egg white-sugar mixture.
4. In the absence of a digital kitchen thermometer, you can tell when egg whites are properly heated by rubbing some of the mixture between your fingertips. If the mixture is free of sugar granules, egg whites are ready to be whisked.
5. Whisk warm egg white mixture at high speed until the base of the mixing bowl is cool to touch and the meringue has reached stiff peak stage, about 8-10 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium low and whisk in the vanilla extract into the meringue. Stop mixer once vanilla extract has been fully incorporated into the meringue.

Assembly 

1. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and transfer to a serving platter or large plate.
2. Pour the chocolate ganache into the center of the cheesecake. Use an offset/angled spatula to smooth out the ganache into an even layer.
3. Refrigerate cheesecake for 10-15 allowing the chocolate to set slightly before topping with swiss meringue.
4. Spoon the swiss meringue into the center of the cheesecake. Slightly spread out the meringue over the chocolate layer.
5. Use the back of a spoon to create swoops and small peaks in the meringue.
6. Use a kitchen torch to toast the entire surface of the meringue to your liking before serving.