By Sushy Turin

The inspiration for this recipe came from a post I saw on @batteranddough’s Instagram account last year. Best to bake the cheesecake a day ahead to allow the cake to completely chill, then dip it in chocolate the next day. 

Ingredients

For the crust:

1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄3 cup white sugar
1 egg, beaten
½ cup butter, softened
¼ tsp kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 400 F

For the cheesecake filling:

2.5 lbs. cream cheese- not whipped (5-8 oz. blocks), cut into 1-inch squares to soften
1/8 tsp. sal
1 ½ cups sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
Zest of a small lemon (about ½ tsp.)
2 tsp lemon juice (about half a lemon)
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature

For the topping:

4 cups milk chocolate chips
2-3 Tbsp Crisco
Toppings such as smashed Oreos, chopped nuts, toasted coconut, M&M’s, candy – get creative!

Special equipment: popsicle/lollipop sticks and a springform pan

To make the shortbread crust: 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare a 9-inch spring form pan by greasing it and then covering the bottom with silver foil. Gently combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1/2 cup butter, and ¼ tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Spread somewhat evenly to the edges of the pan. Prick all over with a fork, then bake 10-15 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool on a rack.

To make the cheesecake:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Using a hand mixer beat the cream cheese on medium until softened. Add the salt and then scrape down the sides of the bow. Add the sugar in two batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between.

Add the sour cream, lemon zest and juice and vanilla and continue mixing until well integrated pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl in between.

In a medium bowl, crack all the eggs and break their yolks. Do not whisk them. This will put air into your cheesecake and cause it to crack.

Turn the mixer off and pour in the eggs. Fold in the eggs gently so you incorporate as little air as possible. When the mixture is uniform, pour the cheesecake mixture over your prepared crust.

Place the springform pan into a larger pan. Slowly pour hot or warm water into the larger pan. This is called a Bain-Marie. It will allow your cheesecake to bake evenly and prevent cracks.

Bake the cheesecake at 500 F for ten minutes without opening the door. Then, lower the oven to 200 F and allow the cheesecake to cook for 90 minutes or until only the center of the cheesecake juggles a little bit.

When the cheesecake is done, immediately take a knife that has been run under hot water and then wiped clean and run it around the edge of the cheesecake to help release the sides from the pan. Then, allow the cheesecake to cool on the counter for three hours.

Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for five hours to chill. Do not take it out before then or it will fall apart.

To assemble the cheesecake on a stick: Remove your cheesecake from the fridge. Dip a knife in hot water and wipe it clean. Then, slice your cheesecake into 8 or 16 slices depending how big you want your pops to be. Be sure that your slices cut the crust as well. Dip the knife in hot water and clean it before each slice.

Place all the slices on a baking sheet and push a Popsicle stick on the wider end of the slice about ¼ to ½ inch in. Cover the tray in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour.

Heat the chocolate chips and Crisco in bowl over a double boiler until they are melted. With a paper towel, dab each slice of cheesecake gently to remove the moisture. Holding the cheesecake pop by the stick, dip each pop in the chocolate until they are coated to your liking. Immediately sprinkle your desired topping on top and return the slices to the baking sheet, topping side up.

You may need to keep reheating the chocolate until all your slices are coated.

Return the baking sheet to the freezer for 15 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden. Before serving allow the cheesecake slices to thaw slightly.