Countdown to Christmas - Eggnog Cheesecake

Saturday, November 30, 2013 Add Comment Edit

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I hope you enjoy the holiday season as much as I do, because if all goes according to plan, I'll be featuring a seasonal recipes each day until Christmas actually arrives. The recipes I'll be sharing are associated with the Christmas season as it's celebrated in the United States and other countries that have strong holiday traditions that include special foods that are served with the Christmas feast. The first feature in the series is actually my second best eggnog cheesecake. It's the one I make for meetings or communal gatherings where what is served is not as important as the socialization the affair provides. This is a near effortless cake that is made seasonal by including eggnog in the mix. The cake also contains a small amount of rum which gives it a bit of additional flavor. While many cooks like to use rum extract in recipes such as this, I prefer to use the real thing. I find the taste of the extract to be off-putting and it lingers unpleasantly on my tongue, so I avoid its use whenever I can. This cake is super simple to make and it can be prepared and frozen weeks before you need it. I like to serve this with rum flavored whipped cream which adds a festive air and helps to mask the simplicity of this lovely cheesecake. Here is how it is made.

Eggnog Cheesecake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Taste of Home

Ingredients:
Crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup commercial eggnog
1 tablespoon dark rum
Dash ground nutmeg

Directions:
1) Place a greased 9-inch springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Securely wrap foil around pan. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2) In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto bottom of pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
3) In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low speed just until combined. Gradually stir in eggnog, rum and nutmeg. Pour filling over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan. Add 1 inch of hot water to larger pan.
4) Bake for 45-50 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with a dollop of rum whipped cream. Yield: 12-16 servings.

Rum Whipped Cream

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon dark rum

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and whip until soft peaks form.