Santa's Favorite Eggnog Cheesecake

Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer, and Vixen! "On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Eggnog and Brandy?

Forget abut the favorite reindeer of all, this is the favorite cheesecake of ALL!

Santa's Eggnog Cheesecake on Cherry & Maple Checkered Patterned End Grain Cutting Board

Gingersnap Crust

First, prepare your 9 inch springform pans by covering the outsides with aluminum foil. (I recommend using extra wide 18-24 inch wide foil and double layering the foil in a crossed patter to make a water tight seal.) Roll back and crimp the foil around the top edge of the pan so that fit is taut, making sure that there is no extra foil on the inside of the springform pan.

Place the top rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine gingersnap cookie crumbs, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl. Pour in melted butter and gently mix by hand until the entire mixture is equally coated and loosely holds form when compressed.

Pour crust mixture into prepared springform pan. Spread evenly and firmly pack the mixture. (I like to use the backs of my fingers or a large flat metal spoon.) The mixture should be about 1/4 of an inch thick on the bottom and go up the sides of the pan about 1.5 - 2 inches. Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes. After 10 approximately minutes remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F

Eggnog Cheesecake Filling

In a large mixing bowl combine cream cheese, sugar, eggnog and vanilla bean scrapings. Beat the ingredients together with an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes, starting on a low speed and gradually increasing to high. Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, return to a low speed and add the eggs one at a time, thoroughly incorporating before adding the next. After all of the eggs have been mixed in, add the freshly grated nutmeg and cinnamon, return to a high speed and beat for another 2 minutes.

Place the prepared springform pan into a large high-sided roasting pan. (If you do not have a high-sided roasting pan, you can use a foil turkey roasting pan. These are inexpensive and easy to find at your local grocery store.) Pour the filling into the springform pan, smoothing out the top with a spatula. Fill the roasting pan with boiling water around the springform pan, until it reaches about half way up the side of the springform pan. Be careful not to get any water on the cheesecake filling. Place in the oven and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 30-45 minutes or until the cheesecake has a firm giggle when you gently shake the pan. .

After the cheesecake has baked, remove from oven place on top of oven for and additional 30 minutes, leave the cheesecake in the roasting pan with the hot water during this period to help prevent the cake from falling or forming cracks.

When the 30 minutes are up remove the cheesecake from the water bath , then remove the foil from pan and place on wire cooking rack, uncovered, at room temperature for 2-3 hours. Wrap the top of the cheesecake and place in the fridge for an additional 4-6 hours. Cooling the cheesecake this way allows for it to set properly and pull away from the edges of the pan, making it easy and mess-free to remove the springform.

Eggnog French Butter Cream

Whisk together 1/4 cup of room temperature eggnog with 1 teaspoon of tapioca starch. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup of eggnog and a 1/4 cup of sugar into a small sauce pan on a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Once the eggnog begins to simmer remove from heat and slowly whisk in the eggnog tapioca starch mixture. Set slurry aside to cool and thicken.

Combine 1/2 c. sugar, 1 oz brandy and 2 tablespoons water to small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring the sugar syrup mixture up to 235 degrees F and immediately remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in a mixing stand or large mixing bowl separate the yolk from 5 large eggs, taking care not to get any whites or shell in the bowl. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment and cream the egg yolks on a low speed. Once yolks have become thick and buttery in appearance begin to slowly incorporate the hot syrup with the mixer on low.

Next, using the beater attachment add in the butter (room temperature),

1-2 oz at a time, fully incorporating each portion before adding more. Finally add the salt, vanilla bean scrapings, 1 oz brandy, fresh nutmeg, fresh cinnamon and the cooled eggnog slurry. Mix on high for approximately 3-5 minutes until buttercream is smooth and silky.

Topping the Cheesecake

After the cheesecake has fully set remove it from springform. Place cheesecake on a cake serving tray to begin adding the topping.

Fill a piping bag with the Eggnog French Butter Cream. Using small star tip slowly pipe a decorative ribbon down the centerline of the cheesecake. (I like to use a piece of dental floss to gently mark a centerline on the cake.) Using the first line as a guide continue piping ribbons next to one another unit to top of the cake is complete covered. Finally, grate a little fresh nutmeg and cinnamon over the top cake and serve.

Bon Appétit

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Ingredient list

Crust

• 3 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 6 tablespoons unsalted (melted)

• Pinch of salt

Filling

• 32 ounces cream cheese softened (room temperature)

• 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup eggnog (room temperature)

• 1 1/2 vanilla bean spilt and scraped

• 4 large eggs (room temperature)

• 1 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated cinnamon

Eggnog French Butter Cream

• 5 egg yolks

• hot sugar syrup (1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoon water)

• 10 oz unsalted butter (room temperature)

• 3/4 cup eggnog (room temperature)

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon tapioca starch

• 3/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated cinnamon

• 1/2 vanilla bean split and scraped

• 2 oz brandy

• Pinch of salt