White Chocolate Candy Cane Cheesecake {12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GOODIES}

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS GOODIES

White Chocolate Candy Cane Cheesecake

 

This is a pie I have been trying to repeat for many years. I still haven't quite got it yet, but this one is good, it's a close second. We use to buy every year a Candy Cane cream pie at a local coffee shop until they went out of business. It's the ONE dessert I miss MOST at Christmas time.

White Chocolate Candy Cane Cheesecake
from magazine clipping - Holiday Baking 2008

8 oz white chocolate melting chips, chopped
2 cups finely crushed graham crackers
6 tbsp butter, melted
2 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 (3oz) pkg cream cheese, softened (or just 19 oz all together)
1 (8oz) mascarphone cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
3 eggs
3/4 cup finely crushed hard peppermint candies (candy canes, candy sticks, etc), and a little extra for garnish
2 oz white chocolate melting chips

Preheat oven to 325. For crust, in a medium bowl, stir together graham crackers and melted butter until combined. Press mixture onto the bottom of an ungreased 9" spingform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

For filling, Melt 8 oz of the white chocolate in microwave, starting at 20 second increments until completely melted, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, sugar and salt. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add in melted white chocolate and peppermint extract; beat until smooth. Add in eggs one at a time, beating after each until just combined. Stir in by hand about 3/4 cup of peppermint candies. Pour over crust, spread evenly.

Place a springform pan in a shallow baking pan. (I've heard so many tricks about adding water and such so your cheesecake doesn't fall in the middle! Mine fell so feel free to adjust that here)! Bake for 40 to 50 minutes of until outside edge appears set and center appears done.

Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes, Remove spring form outer pan and cool for another 30 minutes. Cover and chill overnight before serving.

Transfer to a serving plat to complete. Melt the remaining 2 oz of white chocolate in the microwave to drizzle over top of the cheesecake and sprinkle with a little peppermint candy and add a dollop of cool whip to the top before serving!