Candy Cane Cheesecake

We had our annual Christmas potluck at work yesterday, and I decided to bring a Christmas-y dessert. I found this recipe online, and it turned out beautifully. The mint flavour was very subtle, and the crushed candy canes on top were very pretty. Plus, it tasted delicious.



picture from www.kraft.ca

Ingredients

• 1 cup graham crumbs
• 3/4 cup plus 3 Tbsp. sugar, divided
• 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 5 squares white chocolate, divided
• 3 pkg.cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 tub Cool Whip, thawed
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes

  Directions

• Preheat oven to 325.
• Mix crumbs, 3 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 min.
• Melt 4 chocolate squares as directed on package. Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add melted chocolate and extract; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended; pour over crust.
• Bake 45 to 50 min. or until centre is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours. Grate remaining chocolate square. Top cheesecake with Cool Whip, crushed candy and grated chocolate just before serving.

NOTE: I used a food processor to crush the candy canes. You don't really want any big chunks, because that texture doesn't match the smoothness of the cheesecake.