CONTEST
58 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019 TASTEOFHOME.COM
SUE GRONHOLZ
Grand Prize WinnerWHAT INSPIRED YOU TO
MAKE THIS MINTY-GOOD
CHEESECAKE?
I wanted to create a
cheesecake for our high
school’s fundraiser that tasted
like my mom’s grasshopper
pie, and it didn’t take me long
to come up with the perfect
combination of ingredients—
including the fun and boozy
additions. It was a hit!WHAT’S YOUR MOST
INDISPENSABLE KITCHEN
TOOL FOR BAKING?
I really would be lost without
my KitchenAid mixer!WHAT’S THE FIRST RECIPE
YOU CAN REMEMBER BAKING?
My sister and I loved helping
our mom make cut-out
cookies! From stirring up
the recipe (and eating cookie
dough), to cutting them out,
to decorating them...we had
so much fun! As I got a little
older and could handle an
entire recipe on my own,
Mom often let me make mint
cake. It was easy to prepare
and a family favorite.WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU
GIVE TO OTHER HOME COOKS
WHO’D LIKE TO DEVELOP
THEIR OWN RECIPES?
Trust your instincts and your
taste buds. If you think your
idea sounds like something
you’d enjoy, give it a try! I like
to start with a basic recipe
and try different ways to
“dress it up.” Always write
down what you did so you’ll
be able to re-create a dish that
turned out great—and avoid
making the same mistake
twice if it didn’t!Grasshopper
Cookies & Cream
Cheesecake
I created this minty cheesecake for our
high school’s annual fundraiser. We
were told that it brought a hefty price
and was one of the first desserts to go!
To save a step, stir cookie pieces into
the batter instead of adding in a layer.
Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, WIPrep: 20 min.
Bake: 1 ¹ ₄ hours + chilling
Makes: 16 ser vings1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
FILLING
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream
cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup white baking chips,
melted and cooled
6 Tbsp. creme de menthe
¹ ₄ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. creme de cacao
¹ ₂ tsp. peppermint extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup coarsely crushed Oreo
cookies (about 10 cookies)
GANACHE
³ ₄ cup semisweet chocolate
chips
6 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream- Preheat the oven to 325°. Place
a greased 9-in. springform pan on
a double thickness of heavy-duty foil
(about 18 in. square). Wrap foil
securely around pan. In a small bowl,
mix cookie crumbs and sugar; stir in
the butter. Press onto the bottom
of prepared pan. - In a large bowl, beat cream cheese
and sugar until smooth. Beat in cooled
chips, creme de menthe, flour, creme
de cacao and extract. Add eggs; beat
on low speed just until blended. Pour
half the batter over crust; sprinkle
with crushed Oreos. Carefully spoon/
pour remaining batter over top. Place
springform pan in a larger baking pan;
add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. - Bake until center is just set and top
appears dull, 75-80 minutes. Remove
springform pan from water bath.
Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for
10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan
with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour
longer. Refrigerate overnight,
covering when completely cooled. - Remove rim from pan. Place
chocolate chips in a small bowl. In
a small saucepan, bring cream just
to a boil. Pour over chocolate; stir
with a whisk until mixture is smooth.
Spread over cheesecake.
1 slice: 518 cal., 33g fat (18g sat.
fat), 116mg chol., 296mg sod., 46g
carb. (38g sugars, 1g fiber), 7g pro.
Grand
Prize
Grasshopper
Cookies & Cream
CheesecakeGrand Prize