Handsome and I are headed out for a weekend of adventure in North Carolina. I’ll be meeting his sister, niece, and nephews for the first time. It’s a much needed ‘family’ vacation and I, for one, am really excited. Handsome and I actually do really well in a car together for several hours – and I figure that’s a pretty big accomplishment for any couple. Nothing is going to plan, and we are both over due for a few days off so this is going to be a blast! Follow my Instagram for random photos and probably at least one Waffle House visit (no really, we could probably turn this into a drinking game).
This weekend North Carolina! Next: Niagara Falls! (someday).
As far as cheesecakes go, something hit me the other day for peanut butter cheesecake. Maybe it’s just my rebellious side again not wanting to bust open the pumpkin yet, but I wanted a simple smooth kind of cheesecake. And this really (really) fit the bill. If you don’t have Reese’s peanut butter chips in the pantry, I feel that a creamy peanut butter would go just as far in creating a perfect cheesecake.
(I thought having this in the fridge for my house sitter would be a great add on bonus) 😉
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup butter - melted and cooled
- 1 1/4 cup fine graham cracker crumbs
- 24 oz cream cheese - softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 2/3 cups Peanut Butter Chips
- 4 eggs
- 2 teas vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate - chopped
Instructions
- Combine the sugar, cocoa powder and butter in a bowl and whisk to combine. Add the graham cracker crumbs and toss. Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom and about a 1/4 to 1/2? up the sides of a 9? spring-form pan. Place in freezer to set.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium high speed in the bowl of your stand mixer for 5 to 6 minutes, until creamy. Scrape down the sides as needed. Reduce the speed and slowly drizzle in the sweetened condensed milk.
- Meanwhile, in the bowl of a double boiler over simmering water, melt the peanut butter chips. These are temperamental just like white chocolate, so be patient. Let cool.
- Drizzle the melted peanut butter chips into the cream cheese mixture.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides as needed. Finally, add the vanilla and the pinch of salt. Mix 30 seconds longer to combine.
- Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust and gently tap sides to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 1 hour to 70 minutes until center has just set. Let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges to loose cake and allow to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the ganache. Bring the cream to barely a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and pour in the chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Let stand until thickened. With an offset spatula, coat the top of the cheesecake. Drizzle down the sides if you like. You will probably have some extra ganache leftover.
- Cover and let cool 4 to 6 hours before serving in fridge.
- Remove from fridge 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutritional informations provided as a courtesy and is only an approximatation. Values will changes based on ingredients used.
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This cheesecake is my dream!! Yum!
Added bonus. Yea!!!
Have fun this weekend! A mini vacation sound kind of awesome and so does this cheesecake! Love peanut butter and chocolate!
This is dreamy!!! My handsome would love me more if I make this for him. Have a great weekend 🙂
Have fun in NC – awesome state!!! Awesome cheesecake….
Dude, what the ef!! I want this in my belly and not on my screen!! #firstworldproblems
Glad to hear you are struggling with opening cans of pumpkin too. I am warming up to it though. Being bombarded with it every day on other blogs makes it tough to fight. But I would take this cheesecake over any seasonal treat any day!
Have the best time! This looks so fantastic. Funny enough I just made a version of peanut butter cheesecake, too!
Torture I tell you!! TORTURE!!! [And jealous of your trip!]
I get to sit your cat next time you go away, ok? I want a cheesecake like this. I also wish you were visiting the middle of the state instead of the east end.
I would gladly house sit if this was in the fridge! Amazing bonus! And when you visit Niagara Falls, be sure to hit the Canadian side. The US side is a little disappointing 🙂
OMG this looks INCREDIBLE. Yum – such a ‘wow’ dessert!
This looks absolutely delicious! I definitely will be trying this recipe!
Oh my gosh, yes please!! This is definitely my kind of cheesecake. Have a good trip! 🙂
This cheesecake is gorgeous! I love the recipe 🙂
All we have left is to put this sucker in the oven and the rest of the process, it looks amazingly good on picture and so far the one I’m making is looking good (I hope)! First cheesecake I’ve ever made and the filling could replace cookie dough as a sinful favorite dish on its own, can’t wait to take a bite of this cheesecake! I’m so glad I found it and props to you for spilling the secrets 😉
I made this last year and absolutely loved it. I wanted to make again this year and am wondering if anyone has ever tried to make the filling ahead of time (4 days before baking)? It would make life a lot easier! Not sure if the peanut butter chips will re-harden if I make the filling and refrigerate or if once mixed into the filling it won’t matter. Once it’s baked, you refrigerate it anyway….
Thoughts?
I would worry that the crust would get soggy if you baked and stored 4 days ahead. I would do 2 days at most. :/
I was only looking to make the filling ahead of time and not bake anything until the night before. Decided to wait and do it all on Christmas Eve, which is not my favorite plan but it will have to do.
If anyone else has tried to make any part of this recipe ahead of time, please share! It’s time consuming to do on a weeknight when you’re already in a rush to get home from work and back out the door to parties!