When You're in the Mood for Cheesecake...
On Tuesday, my works chums and I were shooting the breeze for a little while, and decided that as a way to bond, we should have a little workday get-together. Mind you, we wouldn't leave our desks, and we wouldn't stop working, but we would share a little something. And because I have a massive sweet tooth, I volunteered to provide that little something. What that "little something" would be, was going to be a surprise of course; for them mostly, but for me as well. Even though I had quickly volunteered, I had no idea what to make at first. And really, when I set out to bake something, I hardly ever do.
I was surfing Tumblr the next morning when it came to me: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake. It was like the Heavens had opened up, and placed it on my dashboard. And I looooove when that happens. When I have no idea what I'm doing, and then BAM! There it is. That sort of thing happens with other parts of my life as well: songwriting, books to read, and of course, what to watch on Netflix. So many choices, sometimes I need a little guidance.
So off I went to the store, ingredient list in hand, and the chill of Fall finally in the air, followed by a giant gust of cold wind, followed by me ever wondering why I would wish cold weather upon anyone. I ran into Roche Brothers and emerged 20 minutes later with all the fixins' to make me a cheesecake!
LOOK HOW MANY CHOCOLATE CHIPS THERE ARE. Ughh. It took everything I had not to eat every bit of this as I slowly rolled them into dough balls and placed them on a carefully parchment-papered cookie sheet. Side note: the cookie dough portion of this recipe is glorious in that, there are no eggs. And you know what that means: no salmonella! WHICH MEANS, you can make these cookie dough balls at a separate time, and place them into your classic vanilla ice cream! It's brilliant, and a great way to spice up a classic, but sometimes boring, ice cream flavor. Or, you know, you can just eat them as is. (There is no shame in that, believe me. I did it.)
FINALLY FINISHED and ready for the oven!
And after fully cooling, and taking all night to get its beauty rest...
This little baby was born, and ready to be devoured. Sadly, it cracked. But that did NOT stop it from being one of the tastiest treats ever produced in Sydney's Kitchen.
My workmates, who I'm pretty sure had forgotten about my promised treat, were throughly surprised and delighted. We each had a piece, rubbed our bellies because that is a LOT of sweetness on one plate, drank like, a gallon of water each, then went back for seconds.
Cheesecake is always a great way to cheer up a rather gloomy, windy, Thursday.
What You'll Need:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
- Set aside an additional 1 cup mini chocolate chips to fold into the batter with the cookie dough balls
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs or chocolate cookie crumbs (like Oreos) I used crushed up (I spent 20 minutes!) Nilla wafers! It gives it a little something extra!
- 4 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream
