No Bake Chocolate & Mint Cheesecake

1 2/3 cups (10-oz pkg) Nestle dark chocolate and mint chips.
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 pkgs. (8 oz ea.) 1/3 less fat cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 prepared 9-inch chocolate crumb crust

Set aside 1/2 cup morsels for ganache topping. From remaining morsels, sort out 1 tbsp. mint morsels and place in small, heavy-duty plastic bag for drizzle, set aside.

MELT remainingmorsels in medium, uncovered, microwave-save bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute. STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 100 to 15 second intervals, stirring just until smooth. Cool slightly.

BEAT cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, 2 tbsp. cream and vanilla in medium mixer bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add melted chocolate, continue beating for 1 minute. Spoon into crust and smooth top.

MICROWAVE remaining 2 tbsp. cream in 1 cup glass measure on HIGH (100% power) for 20 seconds or until boiling. Ad reserved 1/2 cup morsels to cream, let sit for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Spread ganache over cheesecake to within 1/4 inch of edge.

MICROWAVE reserved mint morsels in bag on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) for 20 seconds; knead. Microwave at 10-15 second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag. Drizzle over top of ganache. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Chocolate Cheesecake

For crust
1 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For filling
1 1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs

For glaze
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Preparation

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with double thickness of foil. Spray bottom of pan with vegetable oil spray. Finely grind cookies in processor. Add butter and process until blended. Press mixture onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

Make filling:
Combine cream and coffee powder in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until coffee powder dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate; whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool 10 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in cornstarch. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat well. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Whisk 1 cup cheese mixture into chocolate mixture. Return chocolate mixture to remaining cheese mixture; whisk until smooth.

Pour batter into crust. Place springform pan in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to cone halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake until softly set and slightly puffed around edges, about 1 hour. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 45 minutes. Transfer springform pan t rack and cool. Cover; chill cake overnight.

Make glaze:
Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Pour glaze over top of cake. Using spatula, smooth glaze evenly over top. Refrigerate until glaze is set, at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Using knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Cut into wedges and serve.

World's Finest Chocolates

My husband and I have been blessed with many things to make our life happy and full. We have a strong committed relationship, we have raised healthy successful independent children, and we have financial security. We were reflecting on this the other day when we were trying to come up with a unique gift idea for our friends.

When we were first married, we struggled financially for several years. One couple that we were friends with in college remain our best friends today. Through the years we have both been blessed with financial security. This is wonderful; however gift giving ideas were much easier to come up with when we were both struggling financially. In those days a cheap bottle of wine and a certificate for a delivery pizza seemed like manna from heaven. Now that we are in a position to be able to buy what we need and want, it is not as easy to come up with ideas. I was watching a cooking show the other day and the chef was talking about the worlds finest chocolates. He and his guest were having a disagreement on what which country has the worlds finest chocolates. Their discussion made me think of our friends and their love of chocolates.

I went on the internet and found that there are chocolate samplers that can be purchased that have a variety of chocolates in them. I then came across a site that was advertising different chocolates from several different countries. It was a club to join or give a membership for. Each month the worlds finest chocolates are shipped to the club member. If there is a holiday in the particular month that is featured, however the main reason for the membership is to have a sampling of the different chocolates from around the world. I thought that this would make a great gift for our friends. I liked the idea that they would be getting something each month instead of one large amount at the holiday time. The advertisement for the membership promised eating as well as cooking chocolates would be sent. There would also be an order form as well as a critic form so that you could keep track of which of the worlds finest chocolates were your favorites, and have the chance to order more. I shared the information with my husband and he agreed that this would be a fun gift to give to our friends. My hope is that they will want to share some of the wonderful chocolates that they will be sent.

Chocolate Teddy Bear Cookies

Ingredients:
1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips
1 cup HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 tablespoons shortening(do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil)
1 package (20 oz.) chocolate sandwich cookies
1 box (10 oz.) teddy bear shaped graham snack crackers
Directions:
1. Cover tray or cookie sheet with wax paper.

2. Place peanut butter chips, chocolate chips and shortening. In medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until chips are melted and mixture is smooth when stirred. Using fork, dip each cookie into chip mixture; gently tap fork on side of bowl to remove excess chocolate.

3. Place coated cookies on prepared tray; top each cookie with graham snack cracker. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Store in airtight container in cool, dry place. About 4 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Holiday Carol