Christmas Peppermint Candy Cheesecake Food

PEPPERMINT CANDY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place a greased 10-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° until set, 8-10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, flour and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in crushed candies and a few drops of red food coloring if desired. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake at 350° until center is just set and top appears dull, 55 to 65 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan., In a small bowl, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Pipe around edge of cheesecake and sprinkle with additional crushed candies.

CANDY CANE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine the first three ingredients; press onto the bottom of a 9-in. springform pan. Chill. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth; add flour and mix well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended. Stir in sour cream. Set aside. , In a small saucepan over low heat, melt vanilla chips. Remove from the heat. Add 1/4 cup cream cheese mixture, extract and a few drops of food coloring; mix well. Pour half of the remaining cream cheese mixture over crust. Top with half of the peppermint mixture; swirl with a knife. Repeat layers. , Bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes longer or until the center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan; cool 1 hour longer., Refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, remove sides of pan. Garnish with crushed candy and whipped topping if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

CHRISTMAS PEPPERMINT CANDY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Blend graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter in bottom of ungreased 8" springform pan; press mixture evenly over bottom.
• In blender or food processor, blend sour cream, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla until smooth.
• Add cream cheese and blend; then blend in 2 tablespoons remaining melted butter until completely smooth.
• Stir in crushed candy canes,then pour mixture over crust in pan.
• Bake in lower third of oven for 45 minutes.
• Remove; allow to cool.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• The chocolate leaves will form the petals of a poinsettia flower, with the crushed candy canes in the very center.

PEPPERMINT LAYER CAKE WITH CANDY CANE FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Position racks in the middle and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter three 8-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Combine the milk and the vanilla and peppermint extracts in a small bowl; set aside.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar, then increase the mixer speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until just combined. Scrape down the side of the bowl, then increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 5 more minutes.
• In a separate large bowl (using clean beaters), beat the egg whites with a mixer on high speed until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff, shiny peaks form, about 6 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the whites into the batter in 3 additions until combined.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake, switching the position of the pans about halfway through, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let the cakes cool 10 minutes in the pans, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto racks to cool completely. Peel off the parchment. (The cakes can be made up to 1 day ahead; wrap in plastic and store at room temperature.)
• Make the frosting: Fill a medium saucepan with 1 to 2 inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Combine the sugar, corn syrup, egg whites, 2 tablespoons water and the salt in a heatproof bowl and set over the saucepan (do not let the bowl touch the water). Whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture registers 165 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and beat with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat until fluffy and cool, about 4 more minutes. Add the vanilla and peppermint extracts and beat until combined, 1 more minute.
• Assemble the cake: Place 1 cake layer on a platter and spread 1 cup frosting on top; sprinkle with about 2 tablespoons crushed candy canes. Top with another cake layer, spread with 1 cup frosting and sprinkle with another 2 tablespoons crushed candy canes. Top with the final cake layer, then frost the top and side of the cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle more crushed candy canes on top.

PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Place cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Mix in the eggs 1 at a time until well-incorporated. Fold crushed peppermint candies into filling with a spoon, reserving 2 tablespoons for decorating the top. Pour filling into the prepared crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheesecake is set, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool at room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Refrigerate cheesecake until completely chilled, 4 hours to overnight. Sprinkle reserved peppermint candies on top.

CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix baking crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add extract; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended; pour over crust.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until centre is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.
• Beat cream in separate bowl with mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until stiff peaks form; spoon over cheesecake. Sprinkle with crushed candy.