Crazy Cooking Challenge: Polka Dot Cheesecake

What girl doesn't love polka dots?  I saw this and knew that I had to try it - it's so adorable!  My mister and I are huge cheesecake fans ... and he's an even bigger fan of dark chocolate, so this cheesecake was a perfect fit for this month's Mom's Crazy Cooking Cheesecake Challenge.  I don't own a spring form pan, but every cheesecake that I've made in my regular round cake pan has worked perfectly ... so why spend the money, right?  Also, I don't own a pastry bag (to pipe in the polka dots) - I just used a ziplock bag and cut the corner!  Perfect (cheap) fix!
I don't bake often, but when I do, I'd love for the end product to be just like this cheesecake.  This recipe was so simple, even the homemade crust!  What a yummy treat for my family!    
Best dishes and yummy dreams!

xo,

 Polka Dot Cheesecake

Recipe from:  The Baker's Daughter

Printable recipe

Crust Ingredients:

1 c. crushed chocolate graham crackers

1/4 c. cocoa powder

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 c. melted butter

Filling Ingredients:

16 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 c. sour cream

1/3 c. dark chocolate chips, melted 

2 Tbsp. whipping cream

Optional:  Line the edge with chocolate chips!

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

1.  Line the bottom of a small, round cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides of the pan.

2.  Mix the crust ingredients together in a small bowl and then press them into the bottom of the lined cake pan.

3.  Using a mixer, blend the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream until smooth.

4.  Pour 2/3 of the mixture into the cake pan and reserve the remainder of the filling.

5.  In a separate bowl, combine the chis and whipping cream and microwave for 30 seconds.

6.  Stir the chocolate mixture, then combine it with the remaining filling.

7.  Put the chocolate filling inside a small ziplock bag and cut the corner in a small semi-circle shape.  

8.  Pipe small dot shapes onto the surface of the cheesecake (you can also push it in a bit towards the center). 

9.  Bake for one hour, then turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. 

10.  Add the chocolate chips and refrigerate for 24 hours.  

Thanks for reading, loves! Enjoy the other yummy cheesecakes linked below!
xo