What's Your Sweet Spot?

So, If you're like me, you like a choice of desserts on Thanksgiving.  Don't get me wrong - I love pumpkin pie!  But, I also enjoy being able to give everyone a choice and hit their 'sweet spot', so I made up this easy cheesecake recipe.  It's super rich but pretty darn tasty too.  Besides, who watches what they eat on TG anyway?  It's the one day a year we gluttons can feel good about ourselves - throw caution to the wind and just try it all!

So this is the first picture of it, whole and un- garnished.  When I plated it I paired it with a chocolate ganache (see below - that's what the dots are) so that you could sop up some of the sauce along with each bite of cheesecake.  I also topped it with whipped cream, Reese's PB cups, pecans, and then put chocolate shavings along the side of it too.  I couldn't think of any more fattening things to add, so I quit and called it finished.

It's ok if it looks a little rustic - then you know it isn't from a warehouse store

This shows some of the elements in the cheesecake - peanut butter, milk chocolate chunks, cookie crumbs, and Reese's for a garnish.

Peanut Butter Turtle Cheesecake

Lou Crandall, Savory Catering

Crust:

1 package Oreos (regular or Double Stuff)

2 oz (4 TBLS) melted butter

1.8 oz (¼ cup) sugar

Filling:

12 oz (1½ cup) heavy cream, whipped

19 oz (2 bricks + ¼ cup) cream cheese

12.4 oz (1¾ cup) sugar

8 oz (1 cup) peanut butter

19 oz (1½ cans) Nestle’s Dulce de leche (in Hispanic foods)

Toppings

1.5 oz (2 TBLS) pecans, coarsely chopped

1.5 oz (2 TBLS) chocolate ganache or syrup

.5 oz (1 TBLS) Oreo cookie pieces, crumbled, about the size of peas

.5 oz (1 TBLS) Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, crumbled, about the size of peppercorns

6 oz (¾ cup) heavy cream, whipped, sweetened, and ½ tsp vanilla added

Chocolate shavings or crumbs for the sides 

Directions:

Take 3 Oreos out of the package and set them aside to use later for the toppings.  Process the rest of the Oreos (filling and all) in a food processor until they are the size of crumbs.  Add the melted butter and sugar and process a few more seconds to mix.  Divide the crumbs in half, and pat them down into the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan (save the other half of the crumbs for the next layer) and bake on 400º for 6 minutes.  Put your cookie crust into the freezer to harden.  

After the crust is hard and will stay in place, warm the caramel (Dulce de leche) in a separate bowl and pour half over the crust, saving the other half for the second layer.  Work quickly and spread out the caramel to form an even layer on the crust, making sure not to go over the same place too many times and get some of the crumbs mixed into the caramel.  Put this into the freezer again.  

Whip the heavy cream in a stand mixer to stiff peaks.  Set aside in another bowl.  Next, beat cream cheese, sugar, and peanut butter together in your stand mixer.  Fold in the whipped heavy cream.  Divide this mixture in half.  Take the crust out of the freezer.  Spread on half of the cream cheese layer.  Freeze.

After the pie is frozen, spread on the leftover Oreo crumbs and press down slightly.  Freeze.  Warm the rest of the caramel and layer on as before and freeze.  Lastly, spread on the rest of the cream cheese mixture and freeze.

 Unmold the cheesecake from the springform pan.  Press the chocolate shavings or crumbs into the side of the cheesecake, then garnish with a little bit of each of the toppings along with swirls of whipped cream.

 Have a Fantastic Thanksgiving!!