Tuxedo Cheesecake is ready for any black-tie affair! A velvety, white chocolate cheesecake sits on top of a buttery, chocolate cookie crust. Drizzled with a dark chocolate ganache and white chocolate swirls, this Tuxedo Cheesecake recipe is party ready!

How to Prep the Springform Pan

Since we are baking this cheesecake in a water bath, there is a little work that needs to be done to the springform pan prior to filling it full with all the cheesecake goodies.

All you will need: foil! 

Take a couple big sheets of foil and wrap the bottom of the pan, going a few inches up the sides. The main trick here is to not have any creases or folds in the foil, so that is why a couple large pieces of foil are needed. Wherever there are creases or folds, water from the water bath can leak in and we don’t want that!

After the pan is wrapped in foil, line the bottom with a circular piece of parchment paper. This will allow you to easily transfer the cheesecake to the desired serving platter without having to leave the bottom of the pan stuck to it.

Finally, give it a good spray down with cooking spray. Now you are ready to roll!

Chocolate Cookie Crust

Start this recipe off by creating a crust in the bottom of a springform pan (a cheesecake must-have!).

For easy removal, I HIGHLY recommend making a circle out of parchment paper that lines the bottom of the springform pan before the crust goes in. That way, transferring the cheesecake to the desired cake stand or serving platter is easy peasy. Take it from me, who forgot to do this step and was running a meat-carving knife along the bottom of the cheesecake to wiggle it free…not my finest moment haha!

Oreo cookies are the best to use here – there’s no way around it! They just live in a world of greatness all on their own. The cookie crumbles are mixed with melted butter and pressed firmly into the bottom of the pan to create the crust. No pre-baking required: just set it aside and move onto the cheesecake filling!

White Chocolate Cheesecake Filling

When making the cheesecake filling, there are a few things to keep in mind that will result in an extra-decadent, velvety-smooth cheesecake filling:

• Make sure the cream cheese is softened – like really softened. Otherwise, the cream cheese will be hard to get completely lump-free. No one wants a lumpy cheesecake.
• Beat the cream cheese as smooth as you can before you add in any of the eggs. The creamier the base from the get-go, the better the result!
• Once the eggs and other ingredients are added in, don’t over-mix! This can be very easy to do, but resist the urge. Over-mixing causes air to get mixed into the cheesecake batter which will then burst and crack while cooking.
• Bake in a water bath! I know this is the scariest part about baking a cheesecake, but check out below for some tips and tricks of working with a water bath. It really isn’t as bad as you think!
• Allow the cheesecake to cool COMPLETELY on the counter before putting it into the fridge. Transferring the cheesecake to the refrigerator while it is still warm/hot will cause it to crack.

Water Bath Tips & Tricks

Baking with a water bath can seem daunting, but it really isn’t that bad! If your springform pan is prepared as stated above, you are good to go. Here’s some water bath tips and tricks:

• Use a pan that is larger than your cheesecake pan. A roasting pan works great for this. Essentially, you want to use a pan that the cheesecake pan can fit into and have room to add some water around it. So it will need to have sides that are a couple inches high at least. Even a foil one can work, but you will need to be mindful that it will be a bit un-stable when transferring.
• If you don’t have a large pan that the cheesecake pan can fit into, that’s ok! No need to go out and buy a whole roasting pan just for a cheesecake. Simply put a pan of water on the rack below the cheesecake in the oven. It will still give the oven humidity which is what we want!

You may be asking yourself, is a water bath really worth it? Yes! The water bath creates humidity while the cheesecake bakes which keeps it from cracking! I also helps it bake evenly and flat. Non-water bath baked cheesecakes tend to have risen sides and a caved-in center.

My mom is lucky enough to have a round baking pan that her cheesecake pan fits into. So she doesn’t have to wrap hers in foil! She puts the cheesecake pan into the round pan, and then puts the round pan into the water bath haha! If you are blessed enough for this situation, do it!

Dark Chocolate Ganache Topping

One of the things that makes a Tuxedo Cheesecake iconic is the chocolate topping. Dark chocolate chips and heavy cream melt together until glossy. Poured over the top of the cooled cheesecake, the ganache topping is smooth and mirror-like.

Then comes the fun part! Melt some white chocolate, add dots of it on top of the ganache topping and swirl them all together with a toothpick or knife. It creates such a fun design! You will need to work quickly as the white chocolate sets quickly and then you won’t be able to swirl. The topping alone will have everyone in awe!

Recipe Video:

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Tuxedo Cheesecake

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• Author: KJ & Company - Kate Poskochil
• Total Time: 10 hours
• Yield: 12 servings 1x

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Description

Tuxedo Cheesecake is ready for any black-tie affair! A velvety, white chocolate cheesecake sits on top of a buttery, chocolate cookie crust. Drizzled with a dark chocolate ganache and white chocolate swirls, this Tuxedo Cheesecake recipe is party ready!

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Ingredients

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For the crust:

• 20 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

For the cheesecake filling:

• 32 oz (4 packages) cream cheese, very soft
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup half and half
• 8 oz white chocolate (white chocolate baking bar such as Ghiradelli works great here)

For the ganache topping:

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 4 oz white chocolate, melted

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Instructions

For the crust:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the springform pan by using a couple large sheets of foil to wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan a few inches. Trying to not have any creases or folds where water can get into. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment circle for easy removal of the cheesecake. Spray the bottom and sides with cooking spray.
2. Mix together the cookie crumbs and the melted butter in a bowl until combined. It should stay stuck together when pressed in between your fingers. If not, add in another tablespoon of melted butter.
3. Firmly press the Oreo crust into the bottom of the prepared pan in an even layer. Set aside.

For the cheesecake filling:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt together the half and half and the 8 oz of white chocolate until smooth. Working in 15 second increments to not over-heat and cause the white chocolate to lump up. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together all of the cream cheese on medium speed until ultra-creamy and smooth. Should be lump-free. Mix in the sugar, salt and vanilla until smooth.
3. Mix in one egg at a time, making sure to wipe down the bowls in between each addition. Once the eggs are mixed in, be careful to not over-mix or over-beat.
4. Fold in the melted white chocolate mixture. Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared pan with the crust. Give it a couple light taps on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles.
5. Place the cheesecake into a water bath that has a couple inches of water in it. I use a roasting pan for this that my cheesecake pan fits into.
6. Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hour, or until the cheesecake is set with a slight jiggle in the center. The top should barely be golden. A trick of the trade: use the back of a fork to gently tap the center of the cheesecake to tell if it is done: if the fork sticks, it’s not done, but if it bounces you are good to go!
7. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven with the door open for 1 hour. Transfer to the countertop to allow to cool completely (can take a couple hours) before transferring to the refrigerator.
8. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to a day in advance.

For the ganache topping:

1. 1 hour before serving (or at least once the cheesecake has cooled for 6+ hours), heat the heavy cream and dark chocolate together in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisking until completely melted and smooth, not allowing to boil. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes.
2. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and set on desired serving plate or cake stand. Evenly pour the chocolate ganache on top of the cheesecake at the center and allowing the ganache to flow to the sides. A little may spill over, but it should mainly stay on top.
3. Transfer the remaining melted white chocolate to a piping bag (or plastic storage bag with a corner snipped off) and pipe even-sized dots on top of the ganache. Use a toothpick or knife tip to swirl the dots together. Work quickly as the melted white chocolate sets up quickly.
4. Refrigerate for another hour to allow the topping to set. Slice and serve!

 

Notes

• If you don’t have a large enough pan to place your cheesecake pan into for the water bath, bake the cheesecake with a pan of water on the rack below it in the oven. Either way, the humidity helps the cheesecake to not crack!
• Allowing the cheesecake to cool completely on the countertop before transferring to the refrigerator is very important. This can take several hours.
• The ganache topping can go on the cheesecake anytime after it has refrigerated for at least 6 hours. The decorated cheesecake can be refrigerated for several days.
• Prep time includes cooling and refrigeration time.
• Nutritional information for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

• Prep Time: 9 hours
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1
• Calories: 558
• Sugar: 42.3g
• Sodium: 380mg
• Fat: 36.4g
• Carbohydrates: 53.6g
• Fiber: 1.2g
• Protein: 7.2g
• Cholesterol: 103mg

Keywords: Tuxedo Cheesecake

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