The tree is up, the stockings are hung and cookies have been a baking. I’m official in the holiday mood, it just took a little longer this year is all. I turn once again to the beloved candy cane. In my previous life in Phoenix, when I was a school teacher, I actually grew quite sick of candy canes. Every year kids would give me Christmas cards and every year there would be a candy cane attached to it. When you teach junior high and you teach a little over 100 kids…that adds up to a lot of candy canes. But now that I have been out of teaching for a few years my love for peppermint candy canes has been growing back again…just like a lizards tail. I still can’t put them on the tree…this year I think ours are jolly rancher flavored, but I have brought them back into my baking and into my hot chocolate(yum!).
I was violently killing candy canes with a mallet for another idea that I had. It went bad and I had to do somehting else. My friend A, or my goat as I like to call her, has a hubby who thinks he should get cheesecake from me for his own personal cheesecake of the month club….and so far it has worked out that way. I head over there tomorrow for a cookie exchange so I thought why not bring him a cheesecake? This is not exactly your typical candy cane cheesecake and you might be scared off a tad by the orange juice, but it isn’t really noticable and it brings out the mint flavor nicely.
So if you are really wanting something good from Santa this year, maybe you should leave a piece of this out instead of a cookie or a peppermint stick.
Candy Cane Cheesecake
Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups oreo cookie crumbs
1/2 cup crushed candy canes
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
Cheesecake
1 1/2 lb. cream cheese
1 1/2 tbsp. peppermint schnapps
1/2 tbsp. orange juice
1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 tbsp. sour cream
1/4 cup half and half
1 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions:
Crust
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Butter two 8 inch cake pans.
Divide crumb mixture between the two pans, making 1/2 inch crust.
Cheesecake
Beat cream cheese, schnapps, concentrate, vanilla, cream, and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Add remaining ingredients and beat well until blended.
Fill both prepared pans with cheesecake batter. Place pans in water bath of boiling water and bake at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
Cool on rack and chill overnight.
Source: Chef Eddie Matney
Your friend’s husband has got to be one of the luckiest men on the planet! This cheesecake is calling to me LOUDLY. Love the pictures – I can’t seem to stop scrolling back to look again. hee!
Oh yum! I love anything pepperminty!
Oh, Peabody I’m so glad you’re regrowing your peppermint lizard’s tail!! I’m not a fan of peppermint and chocolate but these two are separated by all that creamy stuff in the middle and I love oreos. I love peppermint ice cream and they only seem to have it at Christmas. This looks yummy.
Oh Peabody, I see a four-peat coming up for DMBLGIT…
WOW!! Those pictures are amazing. And the cheesecake sounds so delicious. I love anyting peppermint and the chocolate crust sounds great.
Noticed the recipe is from Eddie Matney – have you been following his career here in Phoenix? He’s a great guy and chef, but maybe not so good as a businessman (had to close his restaurant due to financial woes) – but he is in a great place now so that’s good.
http://www.worldgolf.com/newswire/browse/7439-Eddie-Matney-named-head-chef-at-The-Golf-Club-Scottsdale
I’ve never been a huge fan of minty-ness and chocolate but I’d definitely give a chance here – the combination sounds festively good.
Looks fantastic – I’m a huge peppermint fan (when I was younger, I went through a stage for almost a year where I would refuse any candy but peppermints!), and this would go down a treat with me!
I wrote a comment and it didn’t work…
but anyway – looks great, very festive!
I wish you’d stop taking such good photos. You’re embarrassing the likes of me!
Thanks for stopping by my blog and saying hi! This cheesecake looks amazing… I think I might make it for my Christmas!
Hi, thanks for stopping by my site. The pasta was wonderful!
The candy cane cheesecake is so seasonal that it hurts! My husband wants to make his own candy canes, including a peppermint ester – we don’t have a laboratory though….
Thanks again and happy Christmas!
Freya
Peabody, talk about creativity!
Candy canes are not traditional here in Brazil, but I can certainly try some!
Hi Peabody, this look delicious, and so perfect for Christmas. =)
By the way, in your entry dated August 22, 2006 “One Thing Good About Hot Weather”, for the old fashion cake recipe, you mentioned to add in the chocolate. But there wasn’t any chocolate ingredients listed in your ingredient list. May I know how much chocolate do I need to add?
Thanks Jacelyn, I went and fixed that….this is what I get for writing my posts at 4 in the morning.
I dig…but hold the extra on top from mine
Lovely cheesecake! I like the white on black!
oh my, i have been looking to use some more of my candy canes and a cheesecake was very high up on that list! can’t wait to make it!
I absolutely love cheesecake I love peppermint and I’m definitely making this recipes I was just wondering though what kind of pan do you use to put the boiling water in? Kind of confussed.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=1Ers2q0zoNQ&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D1Ers2q0zoNQ
I noticed the recipe calls for 8 in. Cake pans. Will a spring form pan work as well.
When I crush the oreos for the crust, do I scrape off the filling first?
@trena- filling goes in too