12 Days of Sweets: Day 12
Cheesecake isn’t normally a dessert I tackle. I can never quite get baked versions to come out correctly and usually my no bake versions never taste quite right. This recipe is foolproof. The mint flavor isn’t overpowering and this cheesecake has an amazing smooth, creamy texture. The best part is it’s incredibly easy. Seriously, I promise this isn’t difficult!
Half of the cheesecake filling consists of fresh whipped cream. Making your own whipped cream is so incredibly easy and healthier for you. I used a hand mixer to whip this batch; however, you can absolutely do this by hand. It takes about 20 min of constant whipping to get to the stiff peak consistency when whipping by hand. There will be a definite change in consistency when the cream has reached the whipped cream state. Be careful to not whip much further or the cream will start to split out to butter and buttermilk. You should be able to turn the bowl over upside down and none of the cream should shift.
After creaming together the cream cheese and sugar until it’s smooth I li to scrap the mixture back down into the bowl and mix again. Sometimes the cream cheese won’t mix all the way in and this ensures the whole mixture is smooth. I stir the whipped cream in by hand. After spending so much time getting air into the whipped cream I don’t want to lose it. Gently stirring in keeps the mixture fluffy. If you would like, at this point you may crunch up some peppermints and gently mix into the cheesecake filling. I prefer mine smooth, but that might add a nice crunchy texture.
It’s important to chill the cheesecake before serving. This allows the fat molecules time to set up and the crust to harden. I find cutting this with a warm knife helps the cheesecake come out with a clean edge. I serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a peppermint Candy on top for garnish. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 16 ounces of cream cheese – softened
- 16 ounces of heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1/4 cup of powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons of peppermint extract
- Red food dye
Cheesecake crust:
- 18 chocolate sandwich cookies
- 3 tablespoons of butter – melted
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
Method:
- Lightly oil a 10 inch springform pan and set aside.
- In a food processor finely chop chocolate sandwich cookies.
- Add sugar and butter and continue to chop until mixed through.
- Press cookie crust into the bottom of the springform pan slightly pressing up the sides. Set aside.
- Whisk together heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
- Cream together cream cheese, sugar, food dye and peppermint extract until smooth.
- Gently fold in whipped cream until smooth.
- Spoon cheesecake filling onto crust and spread evenly.
- Chill cheesecake for at least four hours before serving.
The Petite Homestead 