Candy Bar Cheesecake

Heat oven to 350°.

Line the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan with parchment paper.

2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs, leave in the middles-crush cookies in food processor

2 T butter, melted

Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter, firmly press mixture evenly in bottom and up sides of a 10 inch springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes.

Wrap the outside of the pan with large heavy duty foil, covering the entire bottom and extending up sides. Use foil that is large enough for one piece of foil to cover entire bottom and up sides.

4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch

1 2/3 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

12 oz. melted semi-sweet chocolate chips

¾ cup whipping cream

Place 1 (8 oz) cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and ¼ cup cornstarch in a large bowl and beat at low speed until creamy, scraping occasionally.

Beat in 3 (8 oz) cream cheese, increase speed to high and beat in 1 2/3 cups sugar, then

2 tsp vanilla.

Blend in 2 eggs, one at a time

Blend the melted chocolate chips into cheese mixture.

Add ¾ cup heavy whipping cream and beat just to blend

Pour the cheese mixture into the crumb-lined pan.

Place pan in large shallow pan containing hot water about 1 inch up sides of pan. Bake

1 hour and 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees. The center should barely jiggle when you shake the pan.

Cool on wire rack 1 hour. Cover cake with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

For the Decoration:

1 double recipe Whipped Chocolate Ganache

Whipped Chocolate Ganache

1/3 cup sugar

3 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup cold heavy or whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla

In a small bowl, toss the sugar with the cocoa and set aside. In a medium bowl, whip the cream with an electric mixer on high until the cream thickens and soft peaks just begin to form. While the mixer is still running, add the sugar-cocoa mixture, then the vanilla.

Continue beating just until the cream turns a light-chocolate color and stiff peaks form. Watch carefully and don’t overbeat at this stage (the cream might curdle). Use immediately for frosting a cake or piping decorations or cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Best when used within 1 day.

Assorted Chocolate Candies- chopped

York peppermint patties, Twix, Milky Way bars, Snickers, Hershey hugs and kisses,

Candy bars of your choice.

On the day you plan to assemble the cake, make the Whipped Chocolate Ganache, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove the cheesecake from the freezer. Remove the sides of the springform pan. Invert the cheesecake on a cooling rack. Remove the bottom of the springform pan and peel off the parchment paper.

Invert the cheesecake onto the serving plate, top side will be up.

Using a metal spatula, frost the top and sides of the cake with the ganache. Arrange the chopped candy bars on the top of the cheesecake. Use lots of chocolates, so you completely cover the top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve (don’t cover it).

It takes about 2 hours in the refrigerator for the cake to thaw enough to be easily cut.