White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
Peppermint cheesecake swirled with peppermint bark pieces, topped off with a layer of white chocolate mousse, bits of chocolate and crushed peppermint candies.
You might think I love cheesecake. I don’t. I love making it though and my family loves eating it. Really, I’ll make just about anything even if I don’t personally like eating it. I know *ugh* I don’t like cheesecake. I’m sorry! I save that portion of my belly for things like apple crisp and apple pie.
I’ve had this cheesecake on my mind since Thanksgiving when my brother mentioned it. I couldn’t get it out of my head! I’ve stared at the image of The Cheesecake Factory’s peppermint bark cheesecake a ton while contemplating how to make this. I had my fingers crossed tight that this experiment would work out.
And since I’m sharing it… that means it worked! A total success. A white chocolate peppermint cheesecake sits on top of a chocolate cookie crust. It’s swirled with peppermint bark pieces, topped off with a layer of white chocolate mousse, chocolate shavings and crushed peppermint candies.
I’ll give you a minute.
Go ahead and wipe the drool away.
This takes more time to make than the average cheesecake but it’s absolutely worth it for something extra special.
White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust Ingredients:
- 2 C chocolate cookie crumbs, or 22 regular oreos with filling
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Filling Ingredients:
- 24 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 C granulated sugar
- 4 oz white chocolate, melted
- 1 1/2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 Tbsp heavy cream
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 tsp peppermint extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 batch peppermint bark, made thin (peppermint bark recipe) or roughly 1 1/2C chunks
Mousse Ingredients:
- 1/2 C cool whip, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 oz white chocolate, melted
- 1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Plus chocolate shavings, peppermint pieces and whipped cream for topping
Instructions
Peppermint bark
- Prepare peppermint bark at least 1 day ahead. Melt 4oz dark chocolate with 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. Mix in 1/8 tsp peppermint extract. Spread thin over a sheet of wax paper on a baking sheet. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Melt 4oz white chocolate with 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. Mix in 1/8 tsp peppermint extract. Spread over chilled dark chocolate. Sprinkle immediately with crushed peppermint candies. Chill for at least 15 minutes. (*when melting chocolate, if using a microwave be sure to use the 30 second 50% power method stirring well after each 30 seconds).
Cheesecake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Prepare a 9" spring-form pan by wrapping the outside with two sheets of heavy duty tin foil around the bottom and up the sides. In a food processor, blend cookies until only fine crumbs remain. Add melted butter. Give a quick blend. Transfer crumb mixture to spring-form pan. Shake to disperse crumbs. Using a flat bottom cup, press down to create an even crust. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325°F degrees.
- Chop peppermint bark into small pieces. Set aside.
- Begin melting 4oz white chocolate. Using a double boiler or heat safe bowl, melt over simmering water. Stir until fully melted. Using the microwave, in a heat safe bowl microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power until fully melted. Stir well after each interval.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar. Mix well. Scrape bowl well prior to each new addition and as needed. Add melted chocolate, flour, heavy cream, salt and peppermint extract. Mix well. On medium/low speed, add one egg at a time. Mix until smooth and blended well.
- Add peppermint bark pieces, stir by hand.
- Transfer spring-form pan and cooked crust to a larger pan, such as a large roasting pan. Pour filling into crust. Add enough hot water to reach half way up the sides of your spring-form pan. Carefully place in center of oven. Bake at 325°F degrees for 1 hour. Turn off the oven. Keeping the door shut, leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 45 minutes. Remove cheesecake and allow to sit for at least 1 hour before chilling.
- Chill 4 hours or overnight before adding the mousse.
- In a medium bowl beat softened cream cheese, melted white chocolate, cool whip, sugar and vanilla until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Carefully remove side of spring-form pan. Spread mousse mixture evenly over cheesecake. Chill for 4 hours or overnight before serving.
- Serve slices with chocolate shavings, crushed peppermint candies and whipped cream.
- Store covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
***Giveaway is closed***
One reader will win one Calphalon non-stick springform pan.
The nitty gritty: You must have a US shipping address to enter. Giveaway will run from Dec 14, 2011 – Dec 17, 2011. One winner will be randomly chosen and contacted via e-mail Dec 18, 2011. Winner has 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen. Main entry must be done or bonus entries will not count. Duplicate entries will be deleted.
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Wow. I have two springform pans so I don’t want to be included in the giveaway. I just had to say wow…. This is like an award winning slice of cheesecake.
LOVE this! I think I HAVE to make this for Christmas. You don’t have to enter me in the giveaway, I already have a springform pan (I think the same exact one :))
One of our few traditions is 24 hours of A Christmas Story. It’s supposed to be based in Indiana, where I now live. But was filmed in Cleveland, where I’m from. In fact my gramma worked as a seamstress in ladies dresses at the department store in the movie. There are so many favorite parts. I live the “electric sex gleaming from the window”. I love the part where the kids write and how wonderful they think their writing is, and the teacher is like, “really?” I’m a teacher and feel like that all the time. I guess my favorite part is that I’d never seen the movie before I met my husband and every year since we started dating its been a tradition to watch it all together.
Okay I need this cheesecake in my life just like I need this springform pan- my pb cheesecake broke my cheapo springform lol! My fav Christmas movie is It’s a Wonderful Life. I actually still cry watching it. Every year!
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I always watch A Christmas Story. My English boyfriend watched it for the first time last week and he wasn’t too sure about it, but I told him he better get used to it because I HAVE to watch it every year!
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One year I made peppermint bark like yours because I couldn’t find the Ghirardelli peppermint bark squares (which are my fave). I love that you turned the peppermint bark into a cheesecake :)
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I have that pan, love it! So I don’t need to be entered in the giveaway. I just had to comment on how amazing this is. I am not a fan of cheesecake either, but this literally has me drooling! I love white chocolate and peppermint bark, so I might actually eat this one!
My mom said the same thing when I told her my plan. She’s typically more of a pie person so that’s saying something. :)
That looks amazing! Please send me a piece!
What a great giveaway!!
My favorite holiday movie is a Muppet Christmas Carol. I tend to only watch it once a year (because it’s never on TV sigh) but I wouldn’t be opposed to watching it on repeat! I honestly don’t have a favorite scene in the movie.
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This looks amazing…I love making restaurant-favorites at home. My husband loves cheesecake, I will have to try this for him, we both love peppermint!
annnd i tweeted about the contest !
I love the move Elf!! My favorite scene is when he meets Santa in the department store
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I love “White Christmas”….every year, multiple times during the season. While not overly Christmas….I do love the “Sisters” duet (my mom and I sing it all the time) and of course the end *spoiler alert* when they sing for the General…*tears*. Best holiday movie.
I love elf. I love the part when he is at that breakfast table. MAPLE SUGAR!!!!!! I can only watch elf at the holidays.
i tweeted! https://twitter.com/#!/iamahoneybee/status/146960847917420544
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wow this is so creative!
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I love Frosty the Snowman! It just reminds me of Christmas & being little, hehe
Well of course A Christmas Story… and the tongue sticking to the ice cold pole!
Gorgeous dessert! Home Alone 2~!
a charlie brown christmas
My favorite Christmas movie is A Christmas Story & no matter how many times I’ve seen it, I still get a belly laugh when Ralph’s little brother Randy is so bundled up for the cold weather that he can’t put his arms down … then walking to school, he falls down & cries, “I can’t get up!”
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My absolute favorite Christmas movie is ‘A Muppet Christmas Carol’! I’ve watched it with my family on Christmas Eve since I was little!
My Favorite movie is National Lampoons Christmast Vacation. My favorite scene is when Aunt Bethany arrives!!
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Mmm! I’m not the biggest cheesecake fan myself, but this looks amazing! We’re having a work dinner party on Saturday, and this might be my contribution. And even though I have too many pans to fit in my cabinets, so I don’t need to be included in the giveaway, my favorite movie is A Christmas Story. I’ve GOT to watch it every year, but I usually save it until right before Christmas. But I love A Charlie Brown Christmas too! I’m totally the girl that picks out the sad trees so they have a home too.
Not particularly holiday, but one of my favorite movies ever is The Holiday!! I’ve watched it a million times.
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Love Actually! Followed by the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
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My favorite Christmas movie is It’s a Wonderful Life. But I only watch it once a year, seems to make it more special.
The cheesecake looks incredible!
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I absolutely love A Christmas Story. It never gets old! It’s played all day Christmas Eve on TBS, so the TV just stays on! It’s hard to pick a favorite part, but the “Oh Fuuuudge!” is pretty classic.