Peppermint Bark Cookies And Cream Cheesecake Food

PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Crust:.
• In a medium bowl, combine crushed chocolate wafer cookies, melted butter and sugar. Press mixture into bottom of an ungreased 13 x 9-in baking pan; set aside.
• Chocolate Layer:.
• In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips and 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream, stirring occasionally. Pour chocolate mixture over crust and spread evenly to cover. Place in freezer for 20-25 minutes.
• Peppermint Filling:.
• In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium-high, whip remaining 1 1/2 cup heavy cream until thick and fluffy; set aside.
• In another bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add peppermint extract, confectioners' sugar, and if desired a few drops of red food coloring. Beat until mixture is smooth. Stir in crushed peppermint candy canes. Fold in whipped cream until just mixed. Spread evenly over chocolate layer. Sprinkle with more crushed candy canes if desired.
• Cover pan and freeze for 4 hours.
• This dessert can be served at room temperature or frozen. If desired, garnish each square with a peppermint candy.

PEPPERMINT BARK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Bark: Butter baking sheet (to secure parchment) line baking sheet with parchment paper, smoothing out any wrinkles. Microwave dark chocolate with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil for 1 and a half minutes, stir, add peppermint extract. Spoon mixture onto prepared baking sheet, spreading as THINLY as possible. Cool in refrigerator, while doing next melting step. You do not want the dark chocolate to get too hard or the two chocolate layers will not bond. Microwave white chocolate with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil for 1 and a half minutes, add peppermint extract. Spread white chocolate over dark chocolate. Before white chocolate cools press in peppermint candies. Refrigerate two hours. Dump out onto towel. Store in air tight container up to one week.
• Crust: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 10 inch springform pan for water bath by putting tin foil on outside of pan. In a medium bowl, combine cookies and melted butter. Press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 10 inch spring form pan.
• Filling: Boil some water for water bath. Chop Peppermint Bark. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in peppermint extract, vanilla extract, sour cream and 3/4 of the Peppermint Bark. Reserve the other fourth of bark for garnish. Spoon batter into cooled crust. Put spring form pan into rimmed baking dish, add boiling water to outside of springform pan. Lol! But you never know.
• Bake about one hour, edges should be firm. Turn oven off, and leave cheesecake in oven with door closed for 1 hour. Remove from oven, and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill overnight before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and Peppermint Bark, if desired.
• Note if you reduce size, reduce the baking time. If reduced to 4 servings, try 20 to 30 minutes.