Recipe Contest: Dessert Winner

Congratulations to Kristin Arena of Plano! Her “Death by Chocolate Cheesecake with Amaretto-spiked Whipped Cream” recipe won in the Dessert category of our Central Market Recipe Contest! Kristin receives a $100 gift card to Central Market! See – and try – her recipe after the jump.

Stay tuned to SideDish, as tomorrow we’ll begin accepting entries for our last category of the Recipe Contest: Wine or Sparkling Wine Cocktail. Yum.

Death by Chocolate Cheesecake with Amaretto-spiked Whipped Cream
Submitted by Kristin Arena, Plano

Crust:
-20 Oreo cookies
-1/2 stick butter, melted

Filling:
-2 1/2 packages cream cheese, at room temperature (leave on counter for at least 2 hours prior to baking)
-1 cup of sugar
-1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
-3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
-3 eggs
-1 cup of sour cream
-10 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips, melted
-Strawberries (optional)
-Fresh mint leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

For the crust:
In a food processor, pulse the Oreos until they are crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse until all the crumbs are coated. Press onto the bottom and about an inch up the side of a spring form pan and set aside.

For the filling:
In a large mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla extract. Mix well and scrape down the sides. Add the flour and beat again until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and sour cream and mix thoroughly. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Take the bowl off the mixer and, with a spatula, scrape down the sides and give it one last good stir, making sure everything on the bottom of the bowl is incorporated.

Pour boiling water into a casserole dish and put into the bottom rack of your oven to help prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Pour batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the center is just about set, on the middle rack of the oven. When ready, shut off the oven and open the door slightly. Let the cheesecake cool completely in the oven for about an hour. Keep the cheesecake in the spring form pan and refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan after completely after chilled. Garnish with sliced strawberries and mint if desired.

Amaretto-spiked Whipped Cream:
-1 small container heavy whipping cream
-1 teaspoon of vanilla
-1 shot of amaretto
-1/4 to 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Pour all of the heavy cream into a large bowl. With a mixer on medium speed, begin whipping the cream. When it begins to form, add the vanilla and amaretto and mix well. Add 1/4 of the cup of powdered sugar and keep beating until soft peaks form. If the whipped cream isn’t sweet enough, add more of the powdered sugar until it is to your desired taste. Store in the refrigerator and serve alongside the cheesecake.

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