ADVERTISEMENT
Instructions
Crust
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray the sides and bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray. Place a 9-inch parchment paper circle in the bottom of the pan and a 3-inch wide strip of parchment paper against the sides of the pan.
Add the Oreo cookies with the filling in them to a food processor. Pulse until the cookies are fine crumbs.
Add the melted butter and continue to pulse until the butter has coated all of the crumbs.
Pour the crumbs into the prepared springform pan. Begin to press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan firmly and evenly.
Once the crust is packed, place it in the fridge to set while working on the cheesecake batter.
Cheesecake
In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese. Beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add in the sugar, flour, and 4 of the Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes. Beat with the hand mixer until well combined. The Little Debbie Cakes will be worked in but the red and white frosting top will still be in chunks. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and continue to mix if there are any remaining bits that need mixed in.
Add in the vanilla extract and then the eggs one at a time and beat just until each egg is worked into the batter. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl before adding the next egg.
Add the sour cream and heavy whipping cream. Mix just until they’re combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir in any remaining bits.
Wrap the outside of the springform pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty tin foil or place the springform pan inside a slightly larger pan.
Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan(s).
Place 6 Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes on top of the batter.
Spoon the remaining cheesecake batter on top of the cakes. If you pour the batter on top, it will move the Christmas Tree Cakes and they’ll no longer be in the center of the cheesecake.
Give the cheesecake several taps on the counter to remove the air bubbles.
Fill a larger pan with about 1 to 1 ½ inches of warm water and place the tin foil wrapped or double panned cheesecake into the pan filled with the warm water.
Place the cheesecake in the preheated oven and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the edges of the cheesecake are set and the center slightly jiggles like jell-o when the pan is wiggled back and forth. If the center looks like wet batter, continue to bake the cheesecake until the center is set like gelatin.
Once done, leave the cheesecake in the oven, turn the oven off, and leave the door slightly ajar until the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature.
While the cheesecake is cooling to room temperature, work on the topping.
Ganache Topping
In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the chopped white baking chocolate and the heavy whipping cream. Microwave in 30-second intervals and stir after each interval until the white chocolate is completely melted and smooth. It should be completely melted after 1 minute in the microwave.
Place in the fridge for 40 minutes and be sure to stir the ganache topping every 10 minutes.
Once the cheesecake is cooled and the ganache is set up, spread it on top of the cheesecake using an angled spatula.
Sprinkle the green sanding sugar all over the top of the white chocolate ganache.
Using the store-bought red frosting, pipe wavy lines on the top of the cheesecake to resemble the Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes.
Place the cheesecake in the fridge and allow to chill overnight to set up.
Whipped Cream
Before serving the cheesecake, add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat using a hand mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. Turn the mixer up to high and continue to beat until the whipped cream forms stiff peaks.
Place the whipped cream in a piping bag fitted with a 1M piping tip. Pipe tall swirls of whipped cream all along the top edges of the cheesecake.
Store in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days. The cakes in the middle of the cheesecake will slowly begin to become soggy and break down as the days go on.
Notes
LITTLE DEBBIE CHRISTMAS TREE CAKES: If the Christmas tree cakes are in season, you can replace them with zebra cakes and add milk chocolate wavy lines on the top of the cheesecake instead of red frosting.
STORAGE: Store the cheesecake covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
FREEZING: To freeze this baked cheesecake, let chill overnight in the fridge. Remove from the pan and place in a freezer-safe container or tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap, one layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil, and then in a large freezer bag if it will fit. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.Thaw the cheesecake overnight in the fridge before serving.
ADVERTISEMENT
