Part 3 of Holiday Recipe Project is here! Last, but most certainly not least, is the finishing touch to your holiday dinner: a sweet, creamy, and satisfying cheesecake. You won’t miss having chocolate, so dive into this holiday dessert without guilt and savor until the last bite!
Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Hazelnut Crunch
Yields: 8 servings
Ingredients:
Crust
2 cups vanilla wafer cookies, crushed
5 Tbsp butter, melted
Filling
3 – 8 oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
¾ cup dairy eggnog
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp nutmeg
Topping
8 Werther’s Originals candies, crushed
1 cup hazelnuts, crushed
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor, place the vanilla wafer cookies and pulse until crushed. Pour crushed cookies and melted butter into a small bowl and mix well. Press in bottom of ungreased 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Remove crust from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
Beat cream cheese in large bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until smooth. At low speed, add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Add eggnog, vanilla extract, and nutmeg. Beat until smooth.
Pour cream cheese mixture over partially baked crust. Return to oven and bake at 325°F for 55 to 65 minutes or until set. Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes.
In a food processor, place hazelnuts and pulse until coarse crumbs. Crush Werther’s candies by placing in a plastic bag and smashing with rolling pin. Combine candy with hazelnuts and sprinkle mixture on top of cheesecake halfway through baking process.
Run knife around sides of pan to loosen. Carefully remove sides of pan. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. To serve, cut cheesecake into 8 wedges and place on individual dessert plates.
Gluten-Free Variation Substitutes:
Annie’s Gluten-Free Bunny Cookies for the vanilla wafers
Low-Sugar Variation Substitutes:
Baking Splenda
Dairy-Free Variation Substitutes:
Photo Credits: Taylor Gage Photography
Project Coordination: Sparrow Soirees