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Christmas Breakfast

A delightful twist on chocolate cheesecake, making it a morning treat!
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Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Crust
  • 1 Cup ground graham crackers
  • 1 Cup crushed fresh pecans you can use raw or roasted pecans. If roasting, keep nuts whole and dry roast in a skillet on medium to high heat until fragrant and toasted. Then crush.
  • 3 Tbsp melted, unsalted butter
For the Batter
  • 1.5 Lbs softened cream cheese
  • 1 Cup granulated sugar
  • 8 Oz melted 72% (bittersweet) chocolate
  • Pinch salt
  • 3/4 Cup sour cream-room temperature
  • 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 Cup chopped cooked bacon
For the Topping
  • 4 Oz softened cream cheese
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 Cups powdered sugar
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • sea salt to taste
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1 cup stout beer Reduce the beer by placing on a small sauce pan and heat on low, until simmering. Stir and watch for about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
  • 1/2 cup crumbled pecans (toasted or raw)

Equipment

  • 1 10-inch Springform or Removable Bottom Pan
  • Pastry Bag with Tip (or plastic bag with corner cut)

Method
 

Start
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Crust
  1. Mix crumbled graham crackers and pecans with melted butter. Press onto bottom of greased spring form or removable bottom pan with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass. Set aside.
Batter
  1. Mix softened cream cheese in a stand mixer with paddle, or large bowl with hand mixer until smooth - about 3 minutes - add sugar and mix for 1 minute.
    Add melted chocolate, cocoa powder, salt, sour cream and vanilla. Mix until blended - about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides, add eggs, one at a time until incorporated. Scrape down sides of bowl and add chopped bacon. Mix for 30 seconds.
    Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top with an off set spatula.
    Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for 60 minutes.
Topping
  1. Make cream cheese frosting: Whip cream cheese until smooth, add maple syrup and 1/2 of the reduced stout beer. Cover and refrigerate.
    Once the cheesecake has baked and cooled for 6 hr or over night, pipe the frosting onto the cheesecake in any fashion you want. Drizzle remainder of stout beer reduction/maple syrup and add chopped pecans.

Notes

Seasonal Adaptation: Summer Camp Breakfast. 
Bacon and chocolate work any time of year! And this recipe is lovely with a hot cup of coffee, hot cocoa or if enjoying as a dessert, a nice stout beer or nip of whisk(e)y.