Milky Way Cheesecake

We have a ton of leftover Halloween candy. I took a bag of it with me to give to my students.  I have also been trying to cook with it. I made chocolate chip cookies and Twix ice cream. I sprinkled chopped up Snickers onto pancakes.

I was doing all this while trying to get together Thanksgiving recipes for this blog.  So I am killing 2 birds as they say.  I love cheesecake.  Love it.  I have a million fun size Milky Ways laying around. (Okay that is an exaggeration, but not a big one.)  So I did this.  It turned out really well.

You could change this up by using other candy bars.  You could also use hazelnut spread rather than chocolate.  People will give you all kinds of advice for keeping your cheesecake from cracking. (Don’t over mix the batter, allow it to cool in the oven, etc.) I have none.  Mostly, because I don’t care.  Just cover your cheesecake in sauce or whipped cream.  Or let it go.  It’s just dessert.

Milky Way Cheesecake

Servings:  8

Time:  Prep: 30 minutes, bake time 1 ½ hours, refrigerating overnight
Hardware:  Measuring cups and spoons, a knife and a cutting board, a food processor, a mixer, a rubber spatula, a 9 inch springform pan, foil, space in the fridge

Ingredients:

• 26 chocolate cream cookies (I used Oreos)
• ¼ cup frosted flakes
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5-8oz packages cream cheese
• 1¼   cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 5 fun size Milky Way candy bars
• ½ cup chocolate spread (I used Heresy’s)
• Butter flavored cooking spray
• Milky Ways and caramel sauce for garnish

1.  Preheat oven the oven to 325°. Place the cream cheese on the counter to allow it to soften.  Melt the butter. Roughly chop the candy bars and set them aside.  Spray the pan with cooking spray.
2. Put the cookies, cereal, and sugar in the food processor.  Pulse until the cookies are crumbs.  With the processor on, drizzle in the melted butter.  Press the cookie mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Lower the temperature to 300˚.
3. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla on medium speed just until blended. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed until blended. Don’t over mix.
4. Fold in the sour cream.
5. Sprinkle the chopped candy bars in the bottom of the pan and top with ½ the batter.
6. Mix the chocolate spread into the remaining batter. Spread the chocolate evenly over the vanilla batter.
7. Bake 1-1½ hours or until the center is soft set. Open the oven door and allow the cake to cool in the oven for 2 hours.  Allow the cake to sit out on the counter, still in the pan, until cool.  Cover the cake in foil and refrigerate overnight or for at least for 3 hours. 
8. Carefully remove the cake from the pan.  Place a slice of cheesecake on a plate and top with caramel sauce and half a Fun size or a whole bite-size Milky Way bar. Store any leftovers in the fridge.