This is a great recipe and a twist on a heavy cheesecake. Ricotta cheese is light with a slight grainy texture that lends itself beautifully in this tasty, crowd pleasing pepperminty, chocolaty cheesecake – I know those are not words but it is peppermint and chocolate. Enjoy.

Gluten- free Chocolate Cookie Crust

Ingredients

1 package of Ktoos (gluten-free Oreo style cookies)
1/4 cup crushed candy canes
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Open up the bag of Ktoos and separate the layers, we don't want the cream in the center, just the cookies. In a food processor, add the cookies, and pulse until you have crumbs. Empty the chocolate crumbs in a bowl and add the melted butter and the crushed candy canes. Mix well and spread over the bottom of the cake pan, pressing down to cover the entire bottom of pan and a little bit up the side. Place pan in the fridge for about an hour. I used a Nordic Ware Leak-proof Springform Pan, 9 Inch pan.




Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake
Ingredients

1/4 cup Gluten-free flour blend
pinch of salt
20 ounces ricotta cheese
2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 bag (between 10 and 12 ounces as bags vary) of chocolate chips melted*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup crushed candy canes


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, brown sugar, granulated sugar and set aside. In your mixer, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Place in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of your mixer add the ricotta cheese and cream cheese and mix together. Add melted chocolate chips and mix until well incorporated. Add egg yolks, vanilla extract, peppermint extract and crushed candy canes, mix well. Add dry ingredients and mix until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Gently fold in the egg whites, a third at a time.
Pour the cheesecake mixture in cake pan and bake an hour and 15 minutes. You need to bake it until the center is firm but still jiggles slightly.
Let your cheesecake cool on the counter for an hour then into the fridge for at least four hours. Due to temperature fluctuations you may have some cracking on the top, this does not affect the flavor and hides beautifully under chocolate drizzle.

*Note: You can melt the chocolate in any method you feel comfortable, some like the microwave – I prefer the stove top. Choice is yours after all it is chocolate. Enough said.