Reeses Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Process Oreos and peanuts in a food processor until mixture resembles crumbs. Then add melted butter and pulse to combine.

Tear off several pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap it tightly around and up the sides of the outside of a 10-inch springform pan. Pat the crust mixture in the bottom and half way up the sides of the pan. Refrigerate crust while you are making the batter.

In a large bowl use a mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth (do not over beat). Add eggs one at a time, beating just until combined. Add cream, peanut butter and sugar and beat until just combined. Add vanilla and fold in peanut butter cups (reserving a few to sprinkle on top of the cake when baked) with a spoon or spatula.

Pour batter into the springform pan. Put the pan into a roasting pan and pour hot water into the roasting pan 1/2-1 inch up the sides (make sure it doesn’t go so high that it gets into the springform pan).

Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes then decrease temperature to 200 F and bake for 2 hours. Turn oven off. Remove cheesecake from oven and run a thin knife around the sides to loosen it from the pan. Put cheesecake back in the oven for another 2 hours. (It is important for the cheesecake to bake slowly at different temperatures and cool down gradually so that it does not crack in the middle).

To make the chocolate topping melt semi-sweet chocolate chips with sour cream in a saucepan over low heat. Once melted, spread it over the top of the cheesecake.

Refrigerate overnight.

Decorate cheesecake with heath bar shavings and a few cut up mini peanut butter cups.

Recipe adapted from Bake or Break