Cheesecake is a rich and decadent dessert that never ceases to amaze us. It can both brighten a day that needs a little boosting, or be the cherry on top that makes a great day even better; there’s never a bad time for cheesecake! What makes this recipe so special is that it’s an embodiment of one of the best flavor combinationschocolate and peanut butter. While not the epitome of health food — although we desperately wish it were — this dish is fantastic for those special occasions when you want to pull out all the stops and deliver on creamy, chocolate, peanut buttery flavor!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Yields 1, 9-inch cake
Ingredients
Crust:
- 30 chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos)
- 3/4-1 stick butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Cheesecake:
- 4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 5 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 10-15 chocolate peanut butter cups
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325º F and bring a kettle of water to a boil. Set aside.
- Using at least 2 layers of aluminum foil, tightly wrap a 9-inch, springform pan so water does not leak in during water bath.
- In a food processor (or by hand, using a rolling pin), pulse sandwich cookies and salt until they form fine crumbs. Drizzle in melted butter. Mixture should be the consistency of wet sand.
- Press crust mixture into the bottom of pan and bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
Optional: press chocolate chips into the crust.
- In a mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Then, one at a time, add in eggs, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything gets mixed evenly.
- Add in peanut butter, sugar, cream and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is incorporated.
- Pour mixture into springform cake pan and place pan in a larger roasting pan. Pour about 1 inch of hot water around cheesecake and bake for 70-80 minutes, or until just set.
- Turn off heat and leave cake in oven to cool for at least 1 hour. Remove from oven and refrigerate for 4-6 hours, or overnight.
- Take cake out of oven, run knife around the edge of the cake and release springform. Set base on a serving plate.
- For the topping: heat the heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat cream boils and stir in chocolate chips. Stir until completely smooth, then pour mixture over the cheesecake.
- Take peanut butter cups and stick them in along the edge of the cake.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Recipe adapted from Taste and Tell