Two of my favorite Valentine’s Day desserts are cheesecake and chocolate covered strawberries. Combined, they make the perfect treat for your sweetie!
These are a fun take on the classic mini cheesecakes. Oreo cookies make for a great chocolate crust and strawberry preserves mixed into the cheesecake give it it’s strawberry taste and pink color. A simple ganache and strawberries make a perfect, simple topping.
Continue readingWe are planning a cozy, just-the-four-of-us Christmas this year. I’ve tried very hard not to dwell on negatives this year – which means that instead of focusing on all the holiday cooking I won’t be doing, I decided to tackle some smaller-batch treats that will be perfect for our family.
Instant Pot cheesecakes are perfect for smaller crowds because they themselves are smaller – and they’re super easy to pull off . Jazzed up with the gingerbread-inspired spices, this small-batch holiday treat is a slam dunk.
Continue readingSized-down treats have been all the rage in my kitchen during the pandemic – fewer get togethers mean fewer mouths to feed – and I am so excited to share my current favorite! This cheesecake is the perfect size for a small celebration – and it’s made in the Instant Pot!
A creamy chocolate cheesecake is topped off with fluffy peanut butter frosting and dotted with mini chocolate chips. If you’re a cheesecake lover, you will just love this!
Continue readingGingerbread is my favorite holiday flavor. It may be because my German grandfather always sent us enormous batches of gingerbread cookies, but for me the flavors of gingerbread are just synonymous with the season.
This dip is the easiest gingerbread dessert you’ll find – no bake, and ready for company in 5 minutes.
This post is sponsored in conjunction with ChristmasSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the ChristmasSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
I always feel a little more nostalgic about my German heritage at Christmas. I think it’s a remnant of Opa’s Christmas cookie packages, which were synonymous with Christmas for all of my childhood. Without even thinking about it, I end up planning some German-inspired dessert for our holiday table – like this Black Forest Cheesecake.
This is obviously not traditional, but the flavors are there – and, I’ll be honest, this is going to be easier than your traditional Black Forest Cake.
Another #ImprovCookingChallenge, another opportunity to get outside my comfort zone! I’ve never cooked with lemongrass before – I actually had to google a picture of it so I knew what to look for in the store – but I’m really loving the result here!
Date for Valentine’s Day? I have the perfect one. This cheesecake.
But seriously, if you’re looking for a dessert for the holiday, this is a great option. It’s decadent and special, but easy enough that anyone could pull it off. Want to make it even easier? Swap out the ganache topping for the fruit topping of your choice – I think cherries would be especially marvelous!
Triple Chocolate Cheesecake
(from OMG Chocolate Desserts)
Serves 16
Crust:
24 Oreos, finely crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
Cheesecake:
2 lbs. cream cheese at room temperature
1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
4 eggs at room temperature
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Ganache topping:
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. sugar
Additional chocolate bar to make curls.
Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9″ springform pan.
Combine the finely crushed Oreos and melted butter and press mixture into the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes then cool on a wire rack while you prepare the filling.
Melt 10 oz. of bittersweet chocolate and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Mix in the cocoa powder until well combined. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add the melted chocolate and mix until combined.
Pour the filling over the top of the cooled crust and smooth out. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until the center is set and the top looks dry. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, run a thin knife around the pan to loosen the sides of the cheesecake, then refrigerate, uncovered until completely cooled – at least 8 hours.
Once completely cooled, stir together the cream, 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate and sugar together in a medium saucepan. When it is completely melted and smooth, remove to cool. Pour over cheesecake. Top with chocolate curls.