Christmas Cheesecake Recipe

For the Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar.
3. Mix in the melted butter until well combined and the mixture is a wet crumb texture.
4. Press the crust evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the prepared springform pan.
5. Place into the oven on the center rack and bake for 10 minutes.
6. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack to let cool completely.

For the Cheesecake

1. Adjust oven temperature to 400°F.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and sugar and mix together on medium speed until smooth.
3. Add in the heavy cream, sour cream, salt, and vanilla bean paste and mix to combine.
4. Add in the eggs and mix for 30 seconds, then add in the cornstarch and mix until just incorporated.
5. Gently fold in the sprinkles. Overmixing the sprinkles will cause the batter to turn black.
6. Cover the outside of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in.
7. Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the prebaked crust. Place the springform pan into a large baking dish or broiler pan and fill with 1 inch of water.
8. Place both pans into the preheated oven on the center rack and bake for 15 minutes.
9. Reduce the heat to 250°F and continue baking for an additional hour.
10. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside for 30 minutes.
11. Open the oven door and leave the cheesecake inside for another 30 minutes to finish setting up.
12. Once the cooldown time is up, remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it onto a wire cooling rack to let it cool completely.
13. Once the cheesecake has completely cooled, cover it with plastic wrap, then place it into the refrigerator to chill for 8 hours.

For the Ganache

1. Towards the end of the chill time for the cheesecake, make the topping: Place the white chocolate chips into a heatproof bowl and set aside.
2. Pour the heavy cream into a microwave bowl and heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds.
3. Pour the heated cream over the white chocolate chips and let sit for 1 minute.
4. Stir the mixture, then place the bowl back into the microwave and heat for an additional 45 seconds to make sure the white chocolate is fully melted.
5. Remove from the microwave and mix with a spoon until smooth. Set aside to cool completely.

For Assembly

1. Once the cheesecake has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator, unmold it, and place it onto a cake stand or plate.
2. Pour the cooled white chocolate mixture on top.
3. Top with Christmas candies before the white chocolate sets.
4. Once the white chocolate has set, cut the cheesecake into slices and serve.