Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Crust:
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

• Crush the graham crackers. Mix in the sugar, then stir in the melted butter.
• Line a springform pan with non-stick foil. Press graham crackers into the pan.
• Bake at 375º for 8 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. Remove and let cool.

CHEESECAKE:
ingredients:

• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons corn starch
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• vanilla beans from one pod

Instructions:

• Combine cream cheese, sour cream, corn starch and sugar, mix until sugar is dissolved.
• Add butter, vanilla and beans, blend until smooth. Don’t overmix.
• Bake at 350F 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 1 hour.

White Chocolate Mousse:
Ingredients:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
• 4 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces white chocolate baking squares, melted

Instructions:

• In a cold mixing bowl beat cream until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Put this in a bowl in the fridge.
• In the same mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy.
• Add the white chocolate and beat until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream:
Ingredients:

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
• Beans from one vanilla pod

Instructions:

• In cold mixing bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form.
• Gradually add powdered sugar and then vanilla beans, beating until stiff peaks form.

Preparation:

• After the cheesecake has cooled spread the mousse evenly on top.
• Refrigerate for about an hour then spread the whipped cream on top. Refrigerate several hours before serving.