Sweeten Up Your Ho(me)liday

Chocolate Chunk Candy Cane Cheesecake

Thick, rich, seriously delicious, and completely irresistible! If you are looking for the perfect cheesecake recipe to sweeten up your days at home, look no further! This Chocolate Chunk Candy Cane Cheesecake is one of those must-have recipes!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs (about 32 cookies)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4  (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1  (14-oz.) can sweeten condensed milk
• 1/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks
• 1/2 cup coarsely crushed hard peppermint candies (about 18 candies)
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
• Garnishes: 65 soft peppermint sticks (5 small bags), broken, and peppermint bark

Directions:

Step 1: Combine first 3 ingredients; stir well. Press mixture firmly on bottom of a lightly greased 9" springform pan. Bake at 325° for 14 minutes; let cool.

Step 2: Beat cream cheese at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk, beating just until blended. Add 1/3 cup whipping cream and next 3 ingredients, beating just until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Stir in chocolate chunks and crushed candies.

Step 3: Pour batter into baked crust. Bake at 325° for 52 to 55 minutes or until edges are set and center is almost set. Turn off the oven. Immediately run a knife around the edge of the pan, releasing sides. With the oven door slightly open, let cheesecake stand in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven; cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours. Remove sides and bottom of pan; place cheesecake on a serving plate.

Step 4: Pour 3/4 cup whipping cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until hot. Add 1 1/2 cups semisweet morsels; stir until chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Pour ganache over chilled cheesecake, allowing ganache to spill over edges of cheesecake; smooth ganache with an offset spatula. Let stand 10 minutes before garnishing. Store in refrigerator.

Note:

For easy cleanup, place wax paper strips under edges of cheesecake on a serving plate. When you pour the ganache, it will drip onto the wax paper. Gently remove wax paper strips after the 10-minute standing time.

Makeahead and Storage Instructions:

• Because the cheesecake needs to chill for at least 6 hours in the fridge, I typically make the cheesecake the day before I want to serve it. 
• Store the cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

*Photo by Oxmoor House