How to Make White Chocolate Cheesecake

We made tons of cheesecakes this week and served them to visitors in our store in Rigby, Idaho.  The White Chocolate Cheesecake was declared the best. Melted white chocolate drizzled into batter makes this an outstanding cheesecake.

We tried different toppings. Sure you can top it with pie filling but pastry filling is more intense and about 3/8 inch of raspberry or cherry pastry filling spread cross the top is perfect and does not detract from the cheesecake. Or melt pomegranate jelly or another red jelly or jam and pour it over the top for a gorgeous cheesecake.  pomegranate jelly makes the cheesecake shine like a jewel.

Wafers make a smoother, more luxurious cheesecake. We've made plenty of these cheesecakes with white chocolate chips  but white chocolate wafers  are better. The grind is finer with wafers and there is more cocoa butter. And wafers melt easily where white chocolate chips can be hard to melt.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

For the crust:
1 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the filling:
4 8-ounce packages of cream cheese
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups white chocolate wafers
or 8 ounces of other quality white chocolate

Preheat the oven 325 degrees.

1. In a  springform pan,  mix the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar together. Press the mixture across the bottom of the pan and up the sides to form the crust. Put the crust in refrigerator while you mix the filling.
2. With the paddle attachment of your stand-type mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Melt the chocolate. Drizzle in the melted chocolate while the beaters are running. Pour into the crust.
3. Bake for 50 minutes or until the cake is done. Let cool on a wire rack. After ten minutes, loosen the sides with a spatula and remove the ring. Refrigerate the cheesecake to cool completely.

This article was written by Dennis Weaver of The Prepared Pantry. Dennis is a baker, a recipe designer, and a writer.  He has written a number of baking guides and books including “How to Bake,” ( a comprehensive baking and reference book.

http://www.nancyskitchen.com