Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

 

Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

As a New Yorker, I was brought up on real Cheesecake so when I was introduced to a festive cheesecake, I had to try it. This is by far the best Holiday Cheesecake I've ever tasted. Give it a try and tell me you didn't fall in love with it too. 

Yield: 12-14 servings

Indulge in this delightful White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake!

Featuring a buttery Oreo crust and a creamy white chocolate filling filled with chocolate chunks and crushed candy canes, it’s pure bliss. 

Topped with rich peppermint mousse and festive red & white whipped cream swirls, it's the perfect holiday treat! Ingredients

Oreo Crust:

36 Oreos (3 cups cookie crumbs)

6 tablespoon Unsalted Butter, melted + extra to grease the pan

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake:

7 oz. white chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 (8 ounce) packages (24 oz) cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch (or 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour)

1 cup sour cream, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 large egg yolk

¾ cup chocolate chunks

¾ cup crushed peppermints

White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse:

3 oz. best-quality white chocolate, finely chopped

1 and ¼ cup Heavy whipping Cream, chilled and divided

½ cup powdered Sugar

½ teaspoon pure peppermint extract

Sweetened Peppermint Whipped Cream:

1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled

⅔ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon peppermint extract or vanilla extract

Red gel food coloring (optional)

Topping:

Crushed Candy Canes

White Chocolate Curls

Dark Chocolate Curls

Peppermint candies

Instructions

For the Crust:

Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C) and position the rack in the center.

Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter or non-stick spray, lining the bottom with parchment paper.

Crush Oreo cookies into fine crumbs, mix them with melted butter, and press this mixture into your prepared pan.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until slightly darkened; then lower the temperature to 300°F. 

Wrap the outside of your pan in aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in during the bath—alternatively, place it in a larger pot for extra protection!

Peppermint Bark Cheesecake:

In a heat-proof bowl, microwave chopped white chocolate in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.

With an electric mixer, blend cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch for 2-3 minutes. Add sour cream, vanilla, and peppermint; mix until smooth. Incorporate eggs one by one gently.

Fold in melted chocolate and add chunks with crushed peppermints before pouring the mixture onto the crust. 

Place it in a larger pan with boiling water up to the sides (not over!). Bake at 300°F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes until set but slightly jiggly in the center.

Turn off the oven and let it cool inside for another hour to prevent cracks.

Once done cooling, run a knife around the edges before removing from its pan completely!

Refrigerate cheesecake until firm and chilled, about 8 hours or overnight.

For the White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse:

In a small bowl, combine chopped white chocolate and ¼ cup heavy cream.

Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Let it cool completely. 

Next, whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream with a mixer until soft peaks form. 

Add powdered sugar and peppermint extract; beat until stiff peaks form.

Gently fold in the cooled ganache before spreading it over the cheesecake. Chill thoroughly!

For the Sweetened Peppermint Whipped Cream:

In a medium stainless-steel bowl, whip chilled cream with a handheld mixer until soft peaks form.

Mix in powdered sugar and peppermint, then beat to stiff peaks. 

Prepare a piping bag with red gel stripes and fill it with whipped cream. 

Top the cheesecake with swirls of whipped cream and garnish using chopped candy canes, chocolate curls, and peppermint candies.

Slice it up and enjoy!

 

Elizabeth Kilbride is a Writer and Editor with forty years of experience in writing with 12 of those years in the online content sphere. Author of 5 books and a Graduate with an Associate of Arts from Phoenix University in Business Management, then a degree. Mass Communication and Cyber Analysis from Phoenix University, then on to Walden University for her master’s in criminology with emphasis on Cybercrime and Identity Theft and is currently studying for her Ph.D. degree in Criminology. Her work portfolio includes coverage of politics, current affairs, elections, history, and true crime. Elizabeth is also a gourmet cook, life coach, and avid artist in her spare time, proficient in watercolor, acrylic, oil, pen and ink, Gouche, and pastels. As a political operative having worked on over 300 campaigns during her career, Elizabeth has turned many life events into books and movie scripts while using history to weave interesting storylines. She also runs 6 blogs that range from art to life coaching, to food, to writing, and opinion or history pieces each week.