"The Ring of Doom" Cheesecake With Reese's Pieces Chocolate Bark

One does not simply... make orange cheesecake!
However, since it's Halloween time I've decided to make an exception. This is a NY style cheesecake dyed orange with a black swirl. Sounds good but I wanted more PRECIOUS chocolate. The "bark" is made from white chocolate melts that came in the color black and I added some Halloween sprinkles, candy eyes, and my favvvvv Reese's Pieces. 

Sure to delight your guests at a party and give your taste buds a dangerous trip to candy land. 


---Everything you will need in a nutshell---

THE CRUST

• 2 cups of gram cracker crumbs.
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 9" spring form pan (note: you do not have to use a spring form pan, but your finished product crust will be thicker)
• A large sheet of aluminum foil. Enough to cup the bottom of the 9" pan.

THE CHEESECAKE (COLORED)

• A large bowl
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Orange and black food coloring.
• two separate mixing bowls for the two different colors

THE BARK

• 1 pound of white chocolate melts dyed black.
• Fun Halloween sprinkles
• Your favorite candy. For me I choose Reese's Pieces because it won't overpower and will add to the flavor of the bark and cheesecake.
• wax paper
• large cooking sheet

Step 1: Making the Crust

(You can always skip all these steps by having self made crust, but I like to make things from scratch so it's more fresh.)

YOU WILL NEED:

• 2 cups of gram cracker crumbs. 
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted 
• 9" spring form pan (note: you do not have to use a spring form pan, but your finished product crust will be thicker)
• A large sheet of aluminum foil. Enough to cup the bottom of the 9" pan.

Stir together until well blended and the crumbs stick together. You can test if they stick well if you make a ball in your hand and it doesn't crumble. 

Grease the bottom of the spring form pan with Pam or butter. Press the crumbs on the bottom firmly. 

Finally, Line the bottom of the spring form pan with aluminum foil. You will eventually place your spring form pan into a large broiling pan or any oven safe pan that will be large enough to hold the cheesecake pan with 2 pints of water. This will ensure the cheesecake is cooked evenly. 

Step 2: Making Cheesecake...

YOU WILL NEED:

• A large bowl
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, mix with a hand blender: cream cheese with sugar until smooth and glossy. It helps to cut up the cream cheese into cubes first.  Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until very smooth. Now we are ready to put a special spin on our cheesecake!!...

Step 3: Turning Your Cheesecake Into THE RING OF DOOM!!

YOU WILL NEED:

• Orange and black food coloring. ( orange can be hard to find so you can always mix yellow and red which is what I did.) I had to really spend some time on it until I got my desired color, so don't feel bad if you can't get it. It's a lot of white you have to erase!

• two separate mixing bowls for the two different colors. I made the black a smaller portion. 

Next:  Making the RING. 

Pour the orange in FIRST. Make sure it's a lot of orange. Don't be shy. I would say fill it up pretty much half way. 
NEXT, pour the black in. Just enough for a large spot in the middle. Then again, add more Orange SLOWLY. This way, the ring can spread evenly. 

FINALLY, it is ready to bake! 

Bake 350 degrees in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. 

Step 4: Making the Bark.

One does not simply eat cheesecake alone! They also add chocolate and their favorite candy too!! It also makes for a better presentation.

YOU WILL NEED:

• 1 pound of white chocolate melts dyed black. 
• Fun Halloween sprinkles
• Your favorite candy. For me I choose Reese's Pieces because it won't overpower and will add to the flavor of the bark and cheesecake. 
• wax paper
• large cooking sheet


Line the bottom with wax paper. Then Melt the chocolate over a stove top. I used a bowl and a pot with boiling water inside the pot. STIR CONTINUOUSLY. Don't ever leave it and go sit on your butt and watch T.V. It will burn easily! :) 

Finally....

pour the melted chocolate over whichever candy you choose. And don't forget to pour a lot more on the top of the chocolate to get more yummy stuff and make the presentation better!

Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator  for a good hour; or until the chocolate has hardened enough to break with your hands into any desired shapes. 

Step 5: Eat Your Cheesecake From the Fires of Mount Doom!

once you have broken up the bark into uneven pieces, stab it into the cheesecake to bring it to life. ENJOY. It will bring smiles ;)

The length of time to make this cheesecake can take 5-6 hours so make sure you have an evening set aside. PLEASE don't get anxious and pull your cheesecake out of the oven until it has cooled to room temperature. It will take several hours. But it won't make the cheesecake crack. 

Happy Halloween!