Red Velvet Cheesecake

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Creamy and rich cheese cake with a nice textural contrast from the red velvet cake pieces.

TIPS:
Follow all the directions carefully.
All ingredients should be at room temperature.
The water bath is important, don’t leave it off.
Make sure your aluminum foil is wrapped securely around the bottom of the spring form and up the sides to prevent leaking.
Do NOT peek at the cheesecake while it is baking or resting. It makes it cranky.
Let the cake come to room temperature before chilling.
Place paper towel over the top of the cake before wrapping with plastic wrap and chilling. This will keep the top dry and help guard against cracking.

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Ingredients

  • CRUST:
  • Buy 2 Red Velvet Cake Mixes
  • 1/2 Red Velvet Cake Mix (1 3/4 C)
  • 1/2 stick soft butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 C mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Mix dry ingred. and butter until crumbly, add egg, spread in greased spring form pan. Bake 8 minutes
  • CAKE
  • Mix as directed, BUT SUBSTITUTE melted butter for oil, and add one extra egg. Bake as directed.
  • Cheesecake: Rich and creamy New York style
  • 32 oz cream cheese
  • 16 oz regular (not low fat) sour cream
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 6 eggs
  • White Chocolate Ganache
  • 4 ounces (1/2 C) white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Preparation

Step 1

CAKE
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Bake cake as directed or until a toothpick comes out clean. Bake crust 8-10 minutes, just until set.

Cool in pan about 5 minutes and turn out CAKE to cool completely.
Break the larger cake (NOT the crust in the spring form) into large chunks and set aside.
(can be done a day ahead)

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

‘Cooking time: 20 minute(s)

CHEESECAKE:

Preheat oven to 375F
Beat the cheesecake ingredients together until smooth.
Reserve about 1/3 cup cake crumbs for the top.
Fold the remaining cake chunks into cheesecake batter.
Pour into pan.
Cover the bottom of the spring form (the one with the cake layer in it) with aluminum foil, bringing it up the sides.
Place pan in larger pan of hot water. Water should come halfway up the sides.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Turn oven off and leave door closed for 1 hour. Don’t PEEK!
Remove from oven, take out of water bath.
Let come to room temperature and cover tightly.
Refrigerate over night.
For the ganache, place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream to a bare simmer over low heat. Pout hot cream over chocolate, and stir until smooth. Add vanilla. Set aside and allow to cool until thickened slightly (the room temperature ganache should be about the consistency of peanut butter). If it's too thick, you can add a little bit more hot cream and stir until smooth. Stir periodically as it cools to assure it stays smooth. Once cool, you can whip it with a mixture to get it fluffier/smoother. Spread on top of cooled cheesecake. Sprinkle top with reserved red velvet cake chunks and 1/4 c mini chocolate chips.

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