White Chocolate Cheesecake

It's was my sister-in-laws birthday in April and we were celebrating her birthday this past weekend, I remembered she has mentioned she didn't really care for cake, but loved cheesecake. So I decided to make a cheesecake for her.

I was at half price books a few weeks ago waiting for Adam to get done with work and pulled out the cookbook Chocoholic off the shelf, this was the first recipe I turned too, so I bought the cookbook for the whole $3.98 and made this recipe. I love the set-by-step directions and will be trying out more things from this cookbook.

This is an AWESOME tasting cheesecake! Luxury White Chocolate Cheesecake (From: Chocoholic)

• 5 oz. digestive biscuits (I used graham crackers)
• 1/2 c. blanched hazelnuts, toasted (I omitted)
• 4 T. unsalted butter
• 1/2 ground cinnamon
• 12 oz. fine quality white chocolate
• 1/2 c. whipping cream
• 3 (8 oz.) packets cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 T. vanilla
• 1 3/4 c. sour cream
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• white chocolate curls to decorate

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9 inch springform tin. In a food processor with metal bald, process biscuits, and hazelnuts until fine crumbs form. Pour in butter and cinnamon. Process just until blended. Using the back of a spoon, press on to bottom and to within 1 c. of top of side of pan. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until just set. Remove to rack to cool. Lower oven temperature to 300.

Prepare filling, In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the white chocolate and cream until smooth, stirring frequently. Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and 1/3 c. sugar until smooth, about 2-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping bowl occasionally. Slowly beat in the white chocolate mixture and vanilla.

Pour into baked crust. Place tin on baking sheet. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until edge of cake is firm but centre is still slightly soft, do not allow to brown. Remove to wire rack while preparing topping. Increase oven temperature to 400.

Prepare topping in a small whisk the soured cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour over cheesecake spreading evenly, and return to oven. Bake for a further 5-7 minutes. Turn off oven, but do not open the door for 1 hour.

Remove to wire rack to cool to room temperature. Run sharp knife around edge of cake in tin to separate it from side; this helps prevent cracking. Cool completely, then refrigerate, loosely covered, overnight.

To serve, run sharp knife around edge of tin to loosen cake. Remove side of springform tin. If you like slide sharp knife under crust to separate cake from bottom and with metal palette knife, slide carefully on to serving plate. Alternatively leaving cake on tin bottom to avoid breaking crust or surface and serve from bottom of tin. Decorate top of cake with chocolate curls.