Eggnog Cheesecake

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

• Crust
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• Cheesecake
• 3 1/2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup + 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 1/2 tbsp flour
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp eggnog
• 1/2 tsp rum extract
• 1/16 tsp nutmeg
• White chocolate ganache
• 12 oz. white chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper.  Wrap in aluminum foil.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the crust ingredients.  Press into the bottom of the springform pan.  Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let stand on a wire rack until the filling is ready.
3. For the filling, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and flour until smooth and creamy.  Add the eggs and mix well, scraping down the sides.
4. Add the eggnog, rum extract, and nutmeg and mix until smooth, again scraping down the sides.
5. Pour the filling into the crust.
6. Place a pan of water in the oven to raise the moisture while baking.
7. Bake at 325°F for 60-70 minutes, until the top is dull and the center still has some jiggle in it.
• I baked mine for 75 minutes and it cracked.  Ooops.
8. Let cool on a wire rack for ten minutes.  Then gently release the ring while running a knife along the edge to loosen the cake from the springform pan.  Do not fully remove the ring, just give it enough slack to run your knife along the edge.  Reattach the ring and let stand until cooled.
9. Cover and refrigerate the cheesecake over night.
10. For the ganache, place the chocolate in a mixing bowl.  Warm the heavy whipping cream to a simmer and then pour over the chocolate.  Let stand for one minute, then mix vigorously until smooth.
11. Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• You should have extra ganache, which can be drizzled over the cheesecake slices.

Adapted from Taste of Home and Sugar Geek Show.