Chocolate Grasshopper Cheesecake

Mint, chocolate, cheesecake. Three fantastic flavors that come together in one awesome dessert! This decadent dessert is the perfect do-ahead because it needs to be chilled at least 3 hours before serving.

Prep: 30 min | Total: 7 hr 35 min | Yield: 16 servings

Ingredients

Crust

• 30 fudge mint cookies, crushed (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

• 4 ounces semisweet baking chocolate
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup green crème de menthe liqueur*
• Topping and Garnish, if desired
• Sweetened whipped cream
• Crème de menthe thin rectangular candies for garnish, unwrapped, cut in half diagonally

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Wrap foil around bottom and side of an ungreased 9 inch springform pan.
2. In large bowl, mix crust ingredients with fork until crumbly. Press in bottom and 1 inch up side of pan.
3. Bake for 12 minutes.
4. Cool for 30 minutes.
5. In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate on HIGH for 45 to 60 seconds, stirring once halfway through microwaving, until melted. If necessary, continue to microwave on HIGH in 15-second increments, stirring until smooth. Set aside.
6. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl frequently, until smooth and creamy.
7. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
8. Stir in liqueur.
9. Pour filling evenly over crust.
10. Drop 8 to 10 tablespoonsful melted chocolate randomly onto filling, allowing chocolate to sink into filling. With table knife or small spatula, cut through chocolate and filling to swirl for marbled design.
11. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until set 2 inches from edge of pan.
12. Remove from oven; run knife around side of cheesecake to loosen. Return to oven; turn oven off and open door slightly. Cool cheesecake in oven for 1 hour.
13. Remove from oven to cooling rack; cool at room temperature 1 hour.
14. Refrigerate for 3 hours.
15. To serve, remove side of pan.
16. Spoon whipped cream into decorating bag with large star tip; squeeze bag to pipe cream around top edge of cheesecake.
17. Garnish with candies.

Notes

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Before heating oven, place small baking pan filled with 1 to 2 cups water on oven rack below cheesecake to help prevent cheesecake from cracking. Bake for 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes.

* One teaspoon peppermint extract and 4 to 6 drops green food color can be substituted for the crème de menthe liqueur.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories 340 (Calories from Fat 210); Total Fat 23g (Saturated Fat 15g, Trans Fat 1/2g); Cholesterol 105mg; Sodium 190mg; Total Carbohydrate 28g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 23g); Protein 6g

Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 15%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%; Iron 6%

Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 3 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Betty Crocker Kitchens