White Christmas Cheesecake

By Texaschef11

Ingredients

• 2 * 2 lb. Cream Cheese
• 1 * 1 C. sugar
• 1 * 1 T white chocolate extract or 1/3 C creme de cacao
• 1 * 1 lb. white chocolate (baking squares, chunks, or chips)
• 3/4 * 3/4 C evaporated milk or light cream
• 5 * 5 egg whites
• 1 * 1 T confectioners' sugar (10X)
• * Baking spray
• * Prepared 9" springform pan with graham cracker or chocolate crumb crust
• * Optional toppings: White chocolate shavings, fresh raspberries, strawberry slices, and chocolate syrup
• 1-1/2 * 1-1/2 C sour cream
• 3 * 3 T sugar
• 1-1/2 * 1-1/2 t vanilla or white chocolate extract OR 2 T creme de cacao

Preparation

Step 1

1. Beat together until very creamy and smooth: two pounds of original Philadelphia Cream Cheese and 1 cup sugar.
2. Add 1 tablespoon white chocolate extract or 1/3 cup creme de cacao and beat again until blended.
3. In a glass bowl, melt 1 pound white chocolate squares, chunks, or morsels in 3/4 cup evaporated milk or cream for approximately three minutes in the microwave and then whisk until completely smooth. Do not overheat or let the chocolate burn.
4. Beat the melted white chocolate mixture slowly into the cream cheese mixture until blended.
5. In a cold stainless steel or glass bowl, beat 5 egg whites to soft peaks and then add 1 tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar and continue beating to stiff peaks.
6. Beat or fold egg whites in thirds into cream cheese/chocolate mixture. Scrape bowl and blend until thoroughly incorporated, but beat as little as possible.
7. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the spring form pan, which has been lightly sprayed with baking spray and prepared with a graham cracker or chocolate crumb crust pressed into the bottom of the pan. Recipes for the crust can be found on the box of crumbs.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 50-60 minutes until the edges are puffed and the center is still soft, but does not jiggle wetly. The cake should brown only slightly on the edges. Remove from the oven and cover with clean, soft towels to slow down the cooling process so that the cake won’t crack as it sinks. Check to make sure the edges will fit into the pan without catching on the sides. Run a thin sharp knife around the top edge of the pan to loosen the edges, if necessary, and then cover the cake again.

Refrigerate the finished cheesecake for at least twenty-four hours, but preferably for two or three days before serving. Add fresh raspberries, strawberry slices and/or a drizzle of chocolate syrup for an elegant presentation.