Cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts. This recipe is a concoction of two different recipes and I added some things to make it mine. Being a big fan of white chocolate, I decided to give white chocolate ganache a try and top the cheesecake with it. It is very fitting with the chocolate crust and the berry filling. I’ve made chocolate ganache many times and I’ve read and heard that you can’t make white ganache. I thought that’s bull, I’m going to try it and guess what –it worked! Just be sure to use candy melts as they work better.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups crushed Oreo cookie crumbs (icing middle removed by sliding off with a butter knife. Discard middles). Put the cookies in a food processor and process until fine).

½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted

1 cup sugar, divided

2 lbs. cream cheese, softened

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extra

3 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 cup sour cream

16 oz. frozen whole berry medley (Walmart’s Great Value brand). Cut the strawberries from the medley in smaller pieces while frozen as they are easier to cut. Thaw 1-2 minutes in the microwave.

White Chocolate Ganache recipe below.

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450°.
PREPARE BERRY FILLING

Add the thawed, cut berries into a medium-sized sauce pot. Add 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, approximately 5 minutes until mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling and stirring, 1 minute. Let mixture cool.
COOKIE CRUMB CRUST

In a bowl, place cookie crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; blend well. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch spring-form pan. Chill in freezer while preparing cheese filling.

CHEESECAKE FILLING

In mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar until smooth and light. Beat in eggs, vanilla and 2 tbsp cornstarch, just until blended. Be sure to scrape sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Stir in sour cream.

Pour 1/2 mixture into prepared crust. Spread berry filling staying away from sides of pan a bit. Add other half of cheese mixture and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 200° and bake 45 minutes. Turn oven off. Allow to cool with the door slightly ajar for 3 hours (This part is crucial to a crack-free cheesecake).

Remove outer ring. Top with white chocolate ganache and dollops of cool whip or add the cool whip to each slice when you slice the cheesecake.

GANACHE:

3/4 cup heavy cream

10-12 oz white chocolate candy melts.

Place melts in a small mixing bowl. Bring heavy cream to a simmer, stirring constantly so as not to scorch. Pour hot cream over melts and keep mixing until fully melted. Let sit up to a half hour to thicken. When completely cooled, pour or spread over cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate cheesecake at least 8 hours. When ready to serve, cut slices and add a dollop of whipped cream.