Peppermint Cheesecake Recipe

For the Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment paper and gently spray with nonstick spray.
2. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the crushed Oreos and sugar. Stir in the butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Press the crust into the bottom of the springform pan.
3. Place the pan into the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
4. Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack to cool while you make the cheesecake batter.

For the Cheesecake

1. While the crust cools, make the cheesecake: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar together on high speed for 1 minute to ensure that the mixture is smooth and creamy.
2. Add in the heavy cream, sour cream, peppermint extract, and salt. Stir until well combined.
3. Add in the eggs and egg yolks and beat together, then add in the cornstarch and mix until well Incorporated.
4. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
5. Pour the cheesecake batter into the springform pan on top of the crust. Use a rubber spatula to smooth the top out.
6. Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in. Place into a larger broiler pan. Fill the broiler pan with enough water to come 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan to form a water bath.
7. Place both pans into the oven to bake for 1½ hours. You may want to tent a piece of tin foil over the cheesecake after 1 hour to prevent it from browning too much.
8. Once baked, turn the heat off and let the cheesecake set in the oven with the door closed for 1 hour.
9. Once the cheesecake has set, remove it from the oven, unwrap the aluminum foil, and place the springform pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
10. Once the cheesecake has cooled, cover it with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it into the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours.

For the Topping

1. Once the cheesecake has chilled, make the ganache: Heat the heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for one minute. Pour the heated heavy cream over the white chocolate chips and let set for 1 minute. Stir the white chocolate and heavy cream together until a smooth ganache has formed. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow the white chocolate to cool slightly.
2. Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake. Sprinkle crushed candy cane pieces over the top of the ganache.
3. Cover the cheesecake with aluminum foil and place it back into the refrigerator to set up for about 1 hour.
4. Once the ganache has set, run a butter knife around the inside edge of the springform pan to help release the cheesecake from the sides of the pan. Release the springform and remove the sides from the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake onto a serving platter or cake stand, slice, and serve.