White Chocolate Ginger Cheesecake

• 2-1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs
• 1/4 cup plus 2 TBS butter or margarine, melted
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1 pound white chocolate, finely chopped (or you can just use white chocolate chips) - see note b
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• choice of topping: fresh fruit, candied cranberries, chopped nuts, caramel, chocolate sauce - optional

Combine gingersnap crumbs and melted butter; stir well. Press crumb mixture into bottom and 1" up sides of a 10" springform pan.

Bring whipping cream to a simmer in a saucepan. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate in a large bowl. Stir mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. Let cool.

Beat cream cheese at high speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar; beat well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Fold in chocolate mixture. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into prepared crust.

Bake at 300 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Remove sides of pan. If desired, decorate cheesecake with topping.


I'm considering making some variations of this yumminess: like an oreo cheesecake, a chocolate cheesecake, a s'more cheesecake, and even a samoa cheesecake. Me and cheesecake are about to become bestest friends.