Santas Favorite Cheesecake Food

SANTA'S FAVORITE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine graham crumbs, butter and 3 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 55 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hr.
• Meanwhile, combine cranberries, orange juice and remaining sugar and vanilla in medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; cook and stir 1 min. or until sugar is dissolved. Simmer over medium-low heat 6 to 8 min. or until cranberries are softened, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, dissolve cornstarch in water. Add to cranberry mixture; mix well. Cook 30 sec. to 1 min. or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in orange zest. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Spoon cranberry topping over slices of cheesecake just before serving.

CHEERY CHEESECAKE SANTA HATS

Steps:

• For the red velvet crust: Adjust the oven racks to the middle and bottom of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place a double layer of parchment into the pan so that it overhangs the long sides; spray the parchment with cooking spray.
• Add half of the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the cookies resemble crumbs. Drizzle in half of the butter and half of the red dye, pulsing until it's all incorporated. Remove the first batch to a large bowl and repeat the with the remaining cookies, butter and dye. Combine both batches, then pour the cookie mixture into the prepared baking pan, using your hands to press the crust down to make one even layer. Bake for 10 minutes.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla together in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the sour cream and mix again. Pour the filling over the crust and smooth the top.
• Put a large roasting pan with water on the bottom rack of the oven and put the pan with the cheesecake on the top rack. Bake until the cheesecake is set and no longer jiggly, about 45 minutes.
• Turn off the oven, open the oven door and allow the pan to sit in the open oven for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for at least 2 hours. Once cooled at room temperature, refrigerate to chill for another 2 hours.
• To assemble: Remove the cheesecake from the baking pan. Using a 2-inch round pastry cutter, carefully punch out 15 cheesecake circles. Remove them to a serving platter. Refrigerate while you make the mascarpone cream.
• For the whipped mascarpone cream: Add the cream to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whip to stiff peaks. Add the mascarpone and confectioners' sugar and mix until well combined and smooth. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a number 12 pastry tip.
• For the Santa hats: Pipe a rim of the mascarpone cream around the top of each cheesecake circle. Put an inverted strawberry into the center of each and top with a tiny blob of the mascarpone cream. Chill to set.
• To assemble the snow scene: Arrange the Santa hats on a cake stand, place the miniature Christmas trees, reindeer and sleigh and cowboy Christmas figurines around and dust with confectioners' sugar snow.

SANTA HAT CRISPY-TREAT CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Lightly coat the foil and a wooden spoon with cooking spray.
• For the cheesecake squares: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the marshmallows, honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt, and stir with the wooden spoon until the marshmallows have completely melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the rice cereal, and stir until the mixture is fully combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, and press into an even layer while warm. Let sit at room temperature until firm, about 20 minutes.
• Combine the gelatin with 2 tablespoons water in a small microwave-safe bowl, and set aside to soften, about 5 minutes. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the the sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt, and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Microwave the gelatin in 10-second increments, stirring as needed, until it dissolves, 30 to 50 seconds. Pour the gelatin into the cream cheese mixture, and beat on medium-high speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crispy treat layer, and spread out evenly with an offset spatula or butter knife. Wrap the pan loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the cheesecake layer is set, about 2 hours or up to overnight.
• For the frosting: Whisk together the butter and cream cheese by hand in a medium bowl. Add the sugar and vanilla and whisk until smooth and creamy.
• Cut the cheesecake bites into twenty-five 1 3/4-inch squares. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag. Cut a 1/4-inch hole in the corner of the piping bag. Pipe a circle of frosting on the top of each square, about the diameter of the base of a strawberry. Place a strawberry cut side-down on top of each frosting circle, pushing down gently so that the frosting comes up around the bottom of the strawberry and resembles the base of a Santa hat. Pipe a ball of frosting on the tip of each strawberry for a pom-pom.

SANTA'S FAVORITE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl, combine white cake mix, 3 egg whites, 1 1/3 cups buttermilk, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Mix with an electric mixer for 2 minutes on high speed. In a separate bowl, combine yellow cake mix, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1 egg, cocoa, red food coloring, and vinegar. Use an electric mixer to beat for 2 minutes on high speed.
• Spoon white batter alternately with red batter into the prepared cake pans. Swirl batter gently with a knife to create a marbled effect.
• Bake in preheated oven for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Let cool in pans for at least 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and margarine until smooth. Gradually blend in sugar until incorporated and smooth. Stir in peppermint extract. Spread peppermint cream cheese frosting between layers, and on top and sides of cake.