CRUST:
1-1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons butter, melted
FILLING:
1 cup white baking chips
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons brandy
3 tablespoons dark Creme de Cacao
3 tablespoons white Creme de Cacao
4 large eggs, room temperature
GANACHE:
1/2 cup white baking chips
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Optional: Whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg
1Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap foil securely around pan.
2In a small bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon; stir in butter. Press onto bottom of prepared pan.
3In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and nutmeg until smooth. Beat in brandy, Cacao, and melted chips. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan.
4Bake until center is just set and top appears dull, 85 to 90 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled.
5For ganache, in a microwave, melt white baking whips and cream; stir until smooth. Cool slightly, stirring occasionally. Remove rim from cheesecake pan. Pour ganache over cheesecake, allowing ganache to drip down the side. If desired, serve with whipped cream and freshly grated nutmeg.
Prize Winning Recipe
Total Time
Prep: 30 Min. + Chilling Bake: 1 Hour 25 Min. + Cooling
Yield
16 Servings
My husband and I really enjoy a good brandy Alexander, so I thought it would be fun to create a cheesecake with the same flavors. It's not necessary to use both the dark and white creme de cacao in this recipe; six tablespoons of either one may be substituted.
Nutrition Facts
1 piece: 528 calories, 33g fat (19g saturated fat), 125mg cholesterol, 295mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (38g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g protein.