August 4, 2008

Smores cheesecake

Graham Cracker Layer
1/2 c. butter
2 1/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c. sugar

Chocolate Layer
4 oz. semisweet chocolate
1 egg
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. milk
2 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. fluff

Cheesecake-Marshmallow Layer
4 8-oz. pkg cream cheese (less 2 oz. - see above)
1 c. fluff marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/4 c. sugar

Topping
2 c. mini marshmallows
1/2 c. mini chips

This is a long, involved recipe, but it's really not that hard, and it's worth it.

Before you start, get the cream cheese out of the refrigerator.

The Graham Cracker Layer
Crush graham crackers to make 2 1/4 c. (The kids love to help with this - put the graham crackers in a ziplock bag and have them bang on it until it's dust.)
Combine the graham crumbs with the sugar in a medium bowl. Melt the butter and add to the crumb mixture. Work the butter into the crumb mixture so it clumps together a bit. Press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

The Chocolate Layer
Place chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring after each minute, until it's almost melted. When it's almost melted, stir vigorously until the rest of the bits melt. From the cream cheese waiting to be the cheesecake layer, take 2 oz. and stir it into the chocolate.
Stir in milk, then flour. Add egg.
Before you measure out the fluff, spray the cup with nonstick spray. Fluff is sticky as...something really sticky. Stir the fluff into the batter. It'll be a batter similar to cake batter. Gently spoon the chocolate batter into a layer on the graham cracker crust. (Don't spread it, you'll just mess up the graham cracker crust.)

Preheat oven to 325°F.

The Cheesecake Layer
Place the rest of the cream cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat it on low until it's creamy.
Add the fluff - remember to spray your measuring cup with nonstick first.
Add vanilla.
Add eggs, one at a time.
Beat in sugar.
Spoon cheesecake batter into crust, being careful of the chocolate layer. Place in the middle of a 325°F oven.

Bake 40 minutes, until a little golden brown in spots on the top, and almost set.

Remove from oven.

The Topping
Take two cups of mini marshmallows and scatter them in a layer across the cheesecake. Then scatter the mini chocolate chips over that.
Return the cake to the oven for five more minutes. The marshmallows will puff up and turn golden brown - just like you turned 'em on a stick over a crackling fire.

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