S’Mores Cheesecake

Don’t judge…I am not a fan of S’mores.

I know, I know. But let me tell you why. It’s the graham crackers. I can’t see eating a perfectly browned marshmallow and chocolate on a crunchy cracker. Messy.

I don’t dig messy.

I also don’t add crusts to my cheesecakes, for the record. If you’ve been hanging around here very long, you realize that already. Cheesecake doesn’t require crust. Cheesecake is creamy, or fluffy, and rich – why spoil it with a cracker?

Maybe it’s just me…but I like what I like.

I do like this cheesecake.

Or should I say cheesecakes.

I made my go-to cheesecake recipe the other night and poured it into individual silicone molds…no crust. Once they were baked, I topped them with thick chocolate ganache – Hershey’s, of course, because hello? It’s a S’mores. I sprinkled the plate with graham cracker crumbs, and for the top – toasted marshmallows.

Heaven on Earth, I tell you. What could be better? And what could be a better way to celebrate National Cheesecake Day, which just so happens to be today? Nothing, I tell you.

Celebrate. Cheesecake Day. Today. You can make this and be eating it in no time, promise.

Enjoy!

S’Mores Cheesecake

Rating: 5
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Yield: 1 cheesecake or 12 individual cheesecakes

Ingredients

3 – 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
3 Tbsps cornstarch
1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
Marshmallows, as needed
For the Ganache
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F and grease or butter an 8-inch cake pan. Place a round of parchment paper on the bottom. Spray the pan and the parchment. If you are wanting individual cheesecakes, like I have, use a silicone mold that has 12 cavities and fill each nearly full.
2. Place one 8-ounce package of the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low speed until creamy, about 3 minutes, then beat in the remaining packages of cream cheese.
3. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat in the remaining sugar, then beat in the vanilla, and salt. Blend in the eggs one at a time, beating only until completely blended. Be careful not to overmix the batter. Slowly mix in the cream and sour cream until just combined.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake the cheesecake until the top is lightly browned, about 1 hour (use no waterbath if making individual cheesecakes and bake roughly 25 minutes or until lightly browned), or until the top is lightly browned and center is set. Allow to cool in the oven with the door propped open.
5. In small saucepan, heat heavy cream to a simmer (not boil). Remove from heat. Add in the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Allow to cool a bit, then top each cheesecake with a spoonful of the ganache. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs atop the ganache or around the plate.
6. Top the cheesecakes with marshmallows, and toast with a kitchen torch or quickly under the broiler. Serve and enjoy!

Note: I used a DeMarle at Home silicone mold for my cheesecakes, and it worked like a charm.

Have a great week everyone!