S’Mores Cheesecake

Enjoy this mouth-watering cheesecake made with marshmallow creme and chocolate topping – perfect for a lavish dessert! MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

March 29, 2011

Crust

1 1/4

cups graham cracker crumbs

tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4

cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, melted

packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

cup packed light brown sugar

1/3

cup marshmallow creme

tablespoon vanilla

eggs

1/4

teaspoon ground cinnamon

cup milk chocolate chips (6 oz)

cup milk chocolate chips (6 oz)

1/4

cup whipping (heavy) cream

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1

Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
2

In small bowl, mix all crust ingredients. Remove 1/2 cup mixture for topping; set aside. Press remaining mixture evenly into bottom of pan. Bake 5 minutes or until crust is just turning deep golden around edge.
3

In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed, stopping to scrape side occasionally, until smooth. Add brown sugar, marshmallow creme and vanilla, and beat until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Use rubber spatula to stir in cinnamon. Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips over crust. Pour batter over chips.
4

Bake cheesecake 15 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 225°F. Bake 55 minutes longer or until cheesecake is set around edge and center is almost set but just slightly wiggly. (Do not insert knife to test doneness because hole could cause cheesecake to crack.) Turn off oven, open oven door slightly and allow cheesecake to cool to room temperature. Remove from oven, cover loosely with foil and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
5

In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup chocolate chips and the whipping cream over low heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate chips are melted. Spread over cheesecake and sprinkle with reserved 1/2 cup crumbs.
6

Cover with foil and refrigerate cheesecake 1 hour or up to 48 hours. Run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen and remove side of pan before serving. Store any leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Why it Works: Low and Slow Making a cheesecake can be intimidating. When is it done? Why did it crack? Can it be frozen? To understand cheesecake you must first know that it is more of a custard than a cake. Eggs play a key role in its structure. The other ingredients are important of course, but the eggs determine doneness and whether it has a surface crack. Because eggs are easy to overcook, it is important to bake the cheesecake at a low temperature and possibly in a waterbath. For the same reason, cheesecakes should be removed from the oven when they are not completely set (the residual heat will cook them through without overcooking and causing the dreaded crack). And finally, yes, cheesecakes freeze very well.
Did you take the baked cheesecake out of the refrigerator and see a big puddle of liquid on top? The worst-case scenario is that you overbaked the cake. Just like when you overcook scrammbled eggs, the protein in your cake, if overcooked, will squeeze out its water. Or it could be that you refrigerated the cheesecake to soon after puliing it from the oven and the moisture condensed on the cake top. You will know which case you are in when you cut the cake. The overcooked cake will be dry and contain small holes. The other cake will just have a soggy top. If yours was overcooked, there's not much you can do but to serve it with extra sauce and hope people don't notice. In the future, check you oven temperature and make sure it is correct.