Jeweled Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 0.3 cup butter melted
• 2.3 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs 
• 32 ounce cream cheese softened
• 6 large eggs 
• 1 cup sugar 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 0.7 cup whipping cream 
• 1 pound chocolate white finely chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• wire rack
• hand mixer
• spatula
• springform pan

Directions

1. Combine gingersnap crumbs and melted butter; stir well. Press crumb mixture into bottom and 1" up sides of a 10" springform pan.
2. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
3. Let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 30
4. Bring whipping cream to a simmer in a saucepan.
5. Remove from heat and pour over chocolate in a large bowl. Stir mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth.
6. Let cool.
7. Beat cream cheese at high speed of an electric mixer until creamy.
8. Add sugar; beat well.
9. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Fold in chocolate mixture. Stir in vanilla.
10. Pour batter into prepared crust.
11. Bake at 300 for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
12. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
13. Remove sides of pan. If desired, decorate cheesecake with Candied Cranberries and Pistachio Crunch.