Peppermint Candy Cheesecake Food

PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-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 cookie crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake until set, 12-14 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the sour cream, flour and extracts. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in chips. Pour into crust. (Pan will be full.) Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake at 325° until center is just set and top appears dull, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan., For topping, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Stir one-fourth whipped topping into mixture; fold in remaining whipped topping. Spread or pipe onto cheesecake. Garnish with miniature candy canes if desired.

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.

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.

PEPPERMINT CANDY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat two 9-inch-round cake pans with cooking spray; line with parchment paper. Prepare the cake mix as directed; transfer the batter to the pans. Bake and cool as directed.
• Combine half of the frosting with the crushed candy. Place 1 cake on a small cardboard circle, domed-side down; spread with the candy frosting. Place the other cake on top, domed-side up.
• Round the bottom and top edges of the layer cake with a small serrated knife as shown. Cover the whole cake with a thin layer of the remaining plain frosting.
• Microwave the marshmallows with 1/4 cup water in a large bowl until melted. Add the peppermint extract; gradually beat in all but 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar with a mixer until thick and stiff. Beat in the butter.
• Remove half of the frosting mixture; knead in a little more confectioners' sugar until smooth. Roll out into a 13-inch circle on a piece of parchment dusted with confectioners' sugar.
• Carefully invert the rolled-out frosting onto the cake; peel off the parchment, brushing off the excess sugar. Tuck around the bottom edge of the cake, pressing gently to adhere; trim the excess.
• Beat enough gel food coloring into the remaining frosting mixture until bright red. Knead in the remaining confectioners' sugar until smooth.
• Roll out the red frosting until 1/4 inch thick. Cut a 7-by-1 3/4-inch wavy stripe with a pointed tip out of paper (for a template, go to foodnetwork.com/caketemplate). Using the template, cut out 7 red stripes of frosting.
• Carefully arrange the red stripes around the cake with the tips meeting at the center; press gently to adhere and tuck around the bottom of the cake, then trim any excess. Wrap the cake in cellophane.

PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place cookies in a heavy zip lock bag and crush with a rolling pin.
• Pour into a buttered 9 inch springform pan and pour melted butter over crumbs.
• mix to coat, then press evenly over bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides of pan.
• Bake in a 300 degree oven until crust is slightly darker and looks a bit dry, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile in a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
• Beat in sour cream.
• Add eggs one at a time, beating after each additioon.
• Beat in flour, vanilla, peppermint extract and salt until smooth.
• Pour cream cheese mixture into pan over baked crust.
• Bake until edges are just golden and center jiggles slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour.
• Run a knife around edge of pan rim.
• Place pan on a wire rack and cool cheesecake completely in pan.
• Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days.
• Run a knife around edge again, then release rim.
• If any liquid has pooled on surface of cheesecake, blot dry gently with a paper towel.
• Decorate top of cake with crushed candycane, pressing in gently with your hands.

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.

CANDY CANE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325*F.
• Combine cookie crumbs, sugar and butter, and press into a 9 inch springform pan.
• Blend sour cream, sugar, eggs, flour and peppermint and vanilla extracts until smooth. Add cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in crushed candy. Pour into the crust and bake on lowest rack of oven for 50-60 minutes or until firm.
• Allow to cool and refrigerate overnight. The top may crack, but that's okay! Remove from pan and serve. Top with sweetened whip cream and garnish with candy cane if desired. Enjoy!

NO-BAKE FROZEN PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine the cookie crumbs, melted butter, and sugar and press firmly into a 9" springform pan to form a crust.
• Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy.
• Add condensed milk, crushed mint candy, and the food coloring.
• Mix on low to combine, then on high to beat together well.
• With a spatula, fold in whipped cream and pour into the crust.
• Cover and freeze until firm.
• Garnish with additional whipped cream and whole pieces of peppermint candy, if desired.
• Variation: Use other flavors of mint candies- such as chocolate mint.

PEPPERMINT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees F., 10 minutes.
• Cool.
• Soften gelatin in water; stir over low heat until dissolved.
• Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended.
• Gradually add gelatin, milk and peppermint candy, mixing until blended, chill until slightly thickened but not set.
• Fold in whipped cream and chocolate.
• Pour over crust.
• Chill until firm.
• Garnish with additional whipped cream combined with crushed peppermint candies, if desired.

CANDY CANE COOKIES

Steps:

• Stir together 1 cup sugar, the butter, milk, vanilla, peppermint extract and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide dough in half. Stir food color into 1 half. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Stir together peppermint candy and 2 tablespoon sugar; set aside.
• For each candy cane, shape 1 rounded teaspoon dough from each half into 4-inch rope by rolling back and forth on floured surface. Place 1 red and white rope side by side; press together lightly and twist. Place on ungreased cookie sheet; curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane.
• Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until set and very light brown. Immediately sprinkle candy mixture over cookies. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

PEPPERMINT CANDY CAKE

Steps:

• Combine margarine, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large mixing bowl.
• Beat on high for 3 minutes.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder and salt.
• Add alternately with water to creamed mixture.
• Blend just until combined; add candy.
• Pour into 2 greased and floured round pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.
• Eat plain or frost with vanilla icing.
• Garnish with crushed peppermint candy.