Godiva Truffled Cheesecake Confections

It’s been almost a year since I started this blog.  And in that time, I’ve only submitted one recipe for Sugar High Friday:  Raspberry Creme Brulee.  Actually, now that I think of it, I was late, and maybe it didn’t get submitted.  Who the heck knows?  I haven’t been one to avoid the event — in fact, I’m usually planning for it, excited to take on the challenge.  But somehow, after it goes on my calendar, something else gets in the way.  Or, I forget.  How sad is that?

But. Not. This. Time!  Of course today is the deadline, but I’m on West Coast time, so no problem.  What nearly was a problem was not having the main ingredient for the event:  Store bought candy.  We aren’t much about that kind of vice, so I may have had to make a trip to the store until I realized I had a box of Godiva truffles that someone was kind enough to give my husband at Christmas.  And with his permission, my recipe was born, allowing me to become a bonafide participant in SHF#38.  Amazing.  This month, Dani at Candy Recapper is hosting the event, originally started by Jennifer, The Domestic Goddess. 

It’s important to note that the Godiva truffles are what led me to my recipe and not the other way around.  I looked for inspiration in enough of my cookbooks that I now have quite the mess on my hands.  And since I’m a cheesecake lover, I was set!

I still haven’t figured out what to call them, so I’ll go with this working title:

Godiva Truffled Cheesecake Confections

Crust:

2/3 c. brown sugar

2 c. all purpose flour

1 c. coarsely chopped pecans

2/3 c. unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

2-8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese at room temperature

1 c. extra fine sugar

1/4 c. all purpose flour

1/2 c. whole milk

3 eggs

8 Godiva Truffles (Assorted seasonal & Signature Truffles)***

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

For the Crust:

Mix brown sugar, flour, pecans, and melted butter in a large bowl with a fork until crumbly.  Empty the mixture into a 10" springform pan and press it over the bottom.  Bake for 15 minutes or until it is light golden brown.  Set aside to cool.

For the Filling:

Turn the oven down to 325 degrees F.

Wipe out the bowl used to mix the crust.  Combine cream cheese, sugar, and flour in the bowl and stir until smooth.  Stir in the milk a bit at a time, and then add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition.  Add the vanilla and mix well.  Cut the truffles into rough quarters.  Add them to the cream cheese mixture and stir to distribute.  Pour the mixture onto the crust making sure the truffles are spread throughout the filling.  Then, set the pan on a baking sheet before placing it in the oven.  Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until the top is set, and richly golden.  Cool completely on a rack before releasing the side of the pan.  Sample when completely cool if you wish, and wrap well before storing in the fridge until completely chilled.  Then sample it again.  Make sure you get a bite of each piece as each is a different flavor depending on the pieces of truffle baked into the slice!

Notes: 

I used a convection setting for this recipe and used the 18" oven.  I’d chill the truffles before chopping them since the centers are soft and it was a bit messy.  I’d save a couple of the truffles to crumble over the top toward the end of cooking just to see how it turned out.  These are somewhat like a combination of chocolate chip cookie, cheesecake, candy type bars.  They’re easily eaten with your hands once cooled and remind me a bit of these Caramel Chocolate Nut Bars I made not too long ago. 

The truffle flavors included in this dessert are hazelnut praline, maple walnut, french vanilla, gingerbread, cappuccino, roasted almond, dark chocolate, and milk chocolate.  Mmmmm….

Not bad.  Not bad at all!