Chocolate-Covered Cheesecake Trees

Prep 1 hr 10 min
Total 5 hr 15 min
Ingredients 13
Servings 28

Deck your dessert table with creamy cheesecake triangles covered with a rich chocolate coating. Keep some in the freezer for drop-in holiday guests! MORE+ LESS-

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated December 1, 2010

Ingredients

cup chocolate wafer crumbs

1/4

cup butter or margarine, melted

packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1/2

cup sugar

1/4

cup sour cream

teaspoon vanilla

eggs

paper lollipop sticks or flat wooden sticks with round ends

3 1/2

cups semisweet chocolate chips (from 24-oz bag)

tablespoons shortening

oz vanilla-flavored candy coating (almond bark), chopped

1/2

teaspoon vegetable oil

to 2 drops green paste food color, if desired

Steps

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1

Heat oven to 300°F. Line 8-inch pan with heavy-duty foil so foil extends over sides of pan. In small bowl, mix wafer crumbs and butter. Press in bottom of foil-lined pan.
2

In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in sour cream, vanilla and eggs. Pour over crust.
3

Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until edges are set (center will be soft but will set when cool). Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Cover; freeze 2 hours. Meanwhile, cover 1 large cookie sheet with waxed paper.
4

Remove cheesecake from pan by lifting foil. Cut lengthwise into four long pieces. Cut each piece into 7 triangles, working with 1 long piece at a time (keep corner pieces for snacking). Insert sticks into bottoms of triangles. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Freeze 30 minutes. If making ahead, cover and freeze until ready to coat with chocolate.
5

Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Place in medium bowl.
6

Working in 2 batches of 14 (keep remaining in freezer until ready to coat), dip each tree quickly into melted chocolate to coat, letting excess drip off. Use knife or spatula to spread chocolate around stick entrance. Place crust side down on waxed paper.
7

In small microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating and oil uncovered on High 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted. Stir in food color. Spoon into 1-quart resealable food-storage plastic bag. Seal bag; cut tiny hole in corner of bag. Pipe melted coating over trees to look like garland. Store covered in freezer.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Tree

Calories: 250
Calories from Fat: 150

% Daily Value

Total Fat: 17g; 26%
Saturated Fat 10g 48% Trans Fat 1/2g
Cholesterol: 40mg; 13%
Sodium: 90mg; 4%
Potassium: 120mg; 3%
Total Carbohydrate: 21g; 7%
Dietary Fiber 1g 6% Sugars 18g
Protein: 3g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 6%; 6%
Vitamin C: 0%; 0%
Calcium: 2%; 2%
Iron: 6%; 6%

Exchanges:

0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 2 1/2 Fat;