Mint Chocolate Cheesecake

on
Saturday, December 15, 2007
My favorite cheesecake is mint chocolate flavored.  Reminds me of Girl Scout Thin Mints!


Mint Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:
18 chocolate sandwich cookies, finely ground
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
5 large eggs
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

Ganache:
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously butter a 9-inch springform pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine cookie crumbs, and butter, until combined. Press into bottom of pan. Place pan on a large sheet pan.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, until just combined.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in sugar, vanilla extract, and mint extract, until combined, about 1 minute. Beat in cream and melted chocolate, until combined. Gradually beat in eggs, until just combined.

Pour batter onto crust, and bake for 1 hour and 10-15 minutes, at 325 degrees F, or until cheesecake center barely jiggles when you shake the pan.

Cool springform pan on a wire rack, for 1 hour; top with ganache.

To make the ganache, heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan, over medium heat, until butter is melted, and mixture is hot. Remove pan from heat, and stir in chocolate, until melted, and well combined. Spread the ganache evenly over cheesecake.
Chill cheesecake in the refrigerator for 8 hours, or until ready to serve.

Yield: 12-14 servings- BIG cheesecake


You can make individual cheesecakes with this recipe, if you wish. Here is the recipe:

Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Cups (Recipe by Emily)
Printable Recipe

5 chocolate sandwich cookies, finely ground
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure peppermint extract (generous)
1 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
1 large egg

1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and generously butter 4 Texas-sized muffin cups, or 6 regular muffin cups.

In a small mixing bowl, combine cookie crumbs, and butter, until combined. Press into bottom of muffin cups.
Bake for 5 minutes. Remove pan from oven, and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

In a medium mixing bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until creamy. Beat in sugar, vanilla extract, and mint extract, until combined. Beat in cream and melted chocolate, until combined. Beat in egg, until just combined.

Pour batter onto crusts, and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cheesecake is starting to crackle on the outsides.

Cool pan on a wire rack, for 30 minutes; top with ganache.

To make the ganache, heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan, over medium heat, until butter is melted, and mixture is hot. Remove pan from heat, and stir in chocolate, until melted, and well combined. If necessary, place pan back on the heat source, and stir until melted.
Spread the ganache evenly over cheesecakes.
Chill muffin pan in the refrigerator for 3 hours, or until ready to serve. Run a knife around the outsides, and scoop the cheesecakes out onto a serving platter.

Yield: 4-6
29 comments on "Mint Chocolate Cheesecake"
  1. I love chocolate and mint together, especially at Christmas. Beautiful tree!

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  2. That looks amazing, more so whe you mix it with that view! I love chocolate cheesecake, so this sounds good! I would also love to be sent home from work because of snow, it hasn't happened yet!

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  3. That sounds like a perfect day to me -- once you got home safely of course. Cold, snow, Christmas tree, baking -- perfect. Beautiful tree. I'm sure your sister was pleased with such a nice birthday treat.

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  4. Mallow- I know you do-those brownies you made look fabulous!

    Holler- I was surprised they let us out eary. I think you'll like this cheesecake, because it's exra chocolatey.

    Anj- Yes, it was a pretty good day. I like not having to wait on people.

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  5. I was thinking of you lately because of all the crazy weather reports in MO. Well I'm glad you got home ok.

    I also got out early on Thursday due to a Noreaster. We got hit with 6-8 inches of snow. Today we had more snow and now it's freezing rain!
    I can't wait to see what WINTER is going to be like. It is technically still fall.
    Oh well, at least I got to bake on my time off. I made 5 different batches of cookies. I was in the kitchen all day and night. Whew.
    I have to get organized in order to post them all. I better go start now!!!

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  6. Be careful out there!!!!

    Your sister is very, very lucky. Except for the mint, that looks amazing. And I can't actually see the mint, so that's ok. I want it now!

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  7. What a great recipe. It snowed here last night too, nearly six inches. Beautiful tree as well.

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  8. we just got our tree too.

    I love the picture with the trees in the backgroud, very nice.

    the cheese cake looks great.

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  9. Great photos, Emiline! The cheesecake looks deelish!

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  10. I hate cheese... but your cake would convert me!!! Beautiful picture! I love the tree too.
    We might have a bit of snow here in Barcelona today or tomorrow, I cross my fingers... would be so Xmas looking!!!

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  11. Annie- 5 batches of cookies...wow! Stay safe in that winter storm. We're doing ok, the temp. was pretty warm today, and the snow melted.

    Sue- I'm staying safe. This cheesecake was pretty minty, so you'd better stay away from it. No need to refresh your breath, though.

    Kelly- 6 inches? Wow. I don't even think we got an inch.

    Gretchen- Thanks!

    Shayne- Thank you! That's the ol' backyard. You might be able to see our nosy neighbors in it.

    Tracy- Thanks! It was quite good. Better the next day.

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  12. i wouldnt mind a snowy day in a company of your fabulous mint choco cheesecake..hmmm i could imagine how it would melt in my mouth...grrr..you are definitely torturing me with this recipe..need to make one fast :-)

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  13. That looks like an awesome recipe and the picture is amazing!

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  14. What a great photo! I am glad you are OK after the fishtailing scare. Hope your sister enjoyed her bday!

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  15. Emiline, really you are inspired dear!!!! is wonderful My hubby loves mint and chocolate!!Thanks xxxx Gloria

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  16. I hate driving in the snow. I don't think there is anything I like worse - which is bad because we get quite a bit of snow!!

    The cheesecake looks so delicious! I love cheesecake - and if it tastes like a Thin Mint, I'll love it!!

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  17. This looks wonderful...I don't normally like cheescake but I think this could convert me!

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  18. Mint and chocolate are my favorite in winter (chocolate and raspberry in the summer.) I always avoid them in dairy, though, how'd it work out?

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  19. Tastes like Girl Scout Thin Mints! That's all you needed to say. Actually, this is a really great looking cheesecake. It's cool that you can just improvise and bake without a recipe. i have a few specialties like that, but definitely not cheesecake!
    Julie

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  20. Yeah, I could totally eat that entire thing! Yummy!

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  21. I would have freaked out at that fish tail too. Chocolate, mint, cheesecake? what's not to love.

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  22. Wow Emiline!
    I've been MIA for the past few days, but I'm glad I checked your site tonight. This cheesecake looks divine! I will definately be trying this one! Thanks for sharing!!

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  23. I voted for you Emily...good luck

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  24. Emily what a great blog page...Kathy voted for you too!!!

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  25. I tried doing this and I added some marshmallows in between, it turned out pretty good.

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