Indulgent eggnog cheesecake with gingerbread crust; topped with a Praline Crunch!
The Ingredients
The Gingerbread Crust
one sleeve of graham crackers
About 12 gingersnap cookies or enough to make 3/4 cup of crumbs
¼ cup white sugar
6 tbsp melted Organic Valley Butter
The Eggnog Filling
24 ounces Organic Valley Cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup Organic Valley Eggnog
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
4 large eggs at room temperature
The Bourbon Vanilla Praline Topping
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream
4 tbsp Organic Valley Unsalted Butter cut into cubes
3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp bourbon vanilla extract
Eggnog Buttercream Frosting
1 cup Organic Valley Unsalted Butter at room temperature
4 cups Confectioners Sugar
¼ cup Organic Valley Eggnog
½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
⅛ tsp salt
To Make the Crust:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray the inside of your springform pan with non stick baking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Surround the bottom of the pan with double layers of foil and scrunch up to the rim of the pan.
Combine graham cracker and gingerbread crumbs, sugar and butter. ( it will be crumbly and soft) Then press into bottom and up sides of a springform pan but not to the edge. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Then allow to cool
CHEESECAKE FILLING:
4. Reduce your oven to 300°F
5. In a large mixer bowl, combine your Organic Valley Cream Cheese, sugar and flour mix on low til well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. Add your Organic Valley Eggnog and nutmeg and mix on low speed until well combined.
7. Add your eggs one at a time, stirring slowly and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.
8. Pour the cheesecake filling into crust.
9. Place springform pan (covered with aluminum foil) inside another larger pan. Fill the larger pan with warm water to go about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Water should not go above the top edge of the aluminum foil on the springform pan.
10. Bake for 1 hour and 30-40 minutes.
11. Turn off your oven and DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR for 30 minutes.
12. After 30 minutes, crack oven door and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minutes.
13. Remove cheesecake from your oven and refrigerate for 5-6 hours or overnight.
When you’re ready to make the praline topping, -note… I like to pipe my buttercream before adding the praline top
14.add everything except the pecans, salt, and bourbon vanilla extract to a medium pot and heat over medium-low heat until the butter and brown sugar is melted.
15. When the sugar has melted, turn the heat up to medium. When it begins to foam and boil, stir constantly until it reaches 220 degrees, about 2 minutes. Careful not to overcook or the topping may end up too firm and you will have candy lol.
16. Remove from heat and stir in the pecans, salt and bourbon vanilla extract.
17. Stir vigorously and continuously with your spatula for about 1 minute
18. Set aside and allow to cool completely then add to the top of the cheesecake.
Eggnog ButterCream Instructions:
19. First, have all measured ingredients ready for mixing
20. Next, add your Organic Valley butter into the large bowl of the mixer.
21. Beat the butter for 5 minutes, or until it is doubled in size, light, and creamy.
22. Gradually add in your powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, mixing well in between additions
23. Keep mixing until sugar is well combined.
24. Then, add in the nutmeg, eggnog, vanilla extract, and salt beating on low while adding
25. After that, mix everything together on high for 8-10 minutes until smooth.
26. Next, cut the tip of a piping bag and insert a jumbo metal piping tip.
27. Finally, pipe your eggnog frosting on to your Eggnog Cheesecake and prepare to fall in love
