S’mores Nachos

Get ready for this…S’mores Nachos. No, there is no cheese, but get your gram crackers ready for this delicious marshmallow and chocolate dip!

INGREDIENTS:

2 sleeves graham crackers
30 marshmallows
3 cups of semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In an oven-proof skillet, layer graham crackers and half the marshmallows and 2 cups chocolate chips. Top with another layer of marshmallows and bake until marshmallows are soft and golden, about 10 minutes. (Keep them in for 2 more minutes if you want them more golden.)Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips on low heat. Drizzle with melted chocolate and serve immediately!

Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Love cookie dough? This cheesecake will blow your mind.

INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE CHEESECAKE

Cooking spray
1 (16.5-oz.) log refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough, divided
4 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 c. sour cream
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 tbsp. pure vanilla extract
3/4 c. mini chocolate chips, divided

FOR THE FROSTING

1/2 (8-oz.) block cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/4 c. powdered sugar
2 tbsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

FOR DECORATING
3 chocolate chip cookies, halved
2 c. broken chocolate chip cookies

DIRECTIONS

MAKE CHEESECAKE

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9″ springform pan and wrap bottom and sides of pan in a double layer of aluminum foil.

Pat 3/4 of cookie dough log into an even layer on the bottom of prepared pan. Baking until golden, 26 minutes. Let cool.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or in bowl of a stand mixer using paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until completely smooth, 3 minutes. Add sugar and salt and beat until fluffy, 2 minutes more. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down bowl as necessary. Add sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla and beat, 1 minute more.

Pour half of cheesecake batter on top of crust, then sprinkle with half of chocolate chips. Roll remaining cookie dough into tiny balls and gently place on top. Repeat layering with remaining batter and chocolate chips.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Place cheesecake in a deep roasting pan and set on middle rack of oven. Carefully pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.

Reduce oven to 325°. Bake until cheesecake is just starting to turn golden and only the center is slightly jiggly, about 2 hours. (Cover with foil if the top of the cheesecake is browning too quickly.) Turn off oven, prop open the door with a wooden spoon, and let cheesecake slowly cool in its water bath, 1 hour.

Remove roasting pan from oven, then carefully lift springform pan from water and remove foil. Set cheesecake on a rack and let come to room temperature. Refrigerate until firm, 4 hours or up to overnight.
When ready to serve, carefully unmold from springform pan.

MAKE FROSTING

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips.

Dollop frosting on top of cheesecake in 6 mounds and top each with a cookie half, then cover cheesecake sides with crushed cookies.

This article originally appeared in the March 2021 edition of The Nazareth, Volume XCIII, No. 3.