Every Christmas, I make a different Cheesecake. It is a tradition in my family. This year, I chose a rich vanilla cheesecake with a chocolate graham cracker crust and ganache filling. Carrying through the Christmas theme, I decorated the cheesecake with crushed candy canes and Ghirardelli peppermint bark for a festive Holiday touch.

Crust

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs ( or about 18 ground full graham cracker sheets

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

4 packages (8 oz each) of cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs

Ganache

3/4 cup whipping cream
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 soft peppermint sticks, coarsely crushed

Steps

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Wrap the outside bottom and side of the 9-inch springform pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent leaking. Spray inside the bottom and side of the pan with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix crust ingredients. Press firmly in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Cool crust for 10 minutes.

2 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add condensed milk, beating just until blended. Add 1/3 cup whipping cream, the flour, and vanilla; beat just until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended. Pour over the crust.

3 Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes or until the edge of the cheesecake is at least 2 inches from the edge of the pan, but the center of the cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn the oven off; open the oven door at least 4 inches. Let the cheesecake remain in the oven for 30 minutes. Run a small metal spatula around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake. Cool in a pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

4 Run a small metal spatula around the edge of the cheesecake; carefully remove the foil and the side of the pan. Place cheesecake on a serving plate. In a medium microwavable bowl, microwave 3/4 cup whipping cream on High for 1 minute or until hot. Add chocolate chips; stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour ganache over cheesecake; smooth ganache with a spatula. Let stand for 10 minutes. Garnish with crushed candy cane and peppermint bark, if desired.

Enjoy