Birthday Cake Cheesecake w/ Edible Cookie Dough

Open in Supper to scale servings and turn this into a grocery list.

Steps

1. Step 1

   First, heat-treat the flour. Microwave the flour for about 75-90 seconds, stirring 15-sec intervals until it reaches 165°F. Alternatively, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), bake the flour for 4 minutes, stir, then continue baking until it reaches the desired temperature.

2. Step 2

   Next, in a large bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar by hand (try not to use a mixer, as whipping air into the dough can lead to cracks in the cheesecake due to the extra air in the cookie dough). Then, add the milk, vanilla extract and almond extract until well combined.

3. Step 3

   Next, sift in the salt and cooled flour into the cookie dough mixture and stir until almost fully combined.

4. Step 4

   Lastly, fold in the sprinkles until fully incorporated. Scoop out 8 one-inch cookie dough balls and place them in the refrigerator—these will be used for topping the cheesecake. With the remaining dough, roll into bite-sized pieces and spread them in an even layer on a baking dish and place them in the freezer 5-10 or until you are ready to mix them into the cheesecake. Note, I like to let them come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before adding them to the cheesecake filling.

5. Step 5

   Preheat the oven to 350F. Then, place your graham crackers in a food processor or blender and grind them until fine. Alternatively, you can put your cookies in a gallon-size plastic bag and crush the cookies with a rolling pin until fine.

6. Step 6

   Next, place the graham cracker crumbs in a large bowl. Add the melted butter and sugar to the crumbs and mix well. Then, pour your cookie mixture evenly into a 9 or 10-inch springform pan. Press the crumbs down along the bottom and side of the pan to form the crust. Be sure to pat the crumbs evenly. Alternatively, you can use the back of a measuring cup or spoon to pat the crumbs and form the crust.

7. Step 7

   Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes. Once done. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven to 325F.

8. Step 8

   Bring about 6-8 cups of water to a boil. Next, place one oven rack at the center of the oven and another rack directly beneath the center rack. Then, place a large roasting pan on the bottom rack.  Then, open the oven and gently pour the boiling water in the roasting pan.

9. Step 9

   In a large bowl, blend your cream cheese until smooth. Then, add the sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, and sour cream and beat until well incorporated (this is the part where I like to sneak a taste). Be sure to scrap the sides of the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all of the filling is incorporated and well mixed. Lastly, add the eggs one at a time into the mixture and beat on low until combined. Be sure not to over mix. Lastly, fold in the sprinkles.

10. Step 10

    Once evenly distributed, pour one-third of the cheesecake batter over the crust (it doesn't have to be fully cooled). Then, evenly drop half of the cookie dough balls on top. Add another third of the batter to cover the dough, followed by the remaining cookie dough balls spread evenly. Finish by pouring the last of the cheesecake batter over everything and smooth it into an even layer.

11. Step 11

    Carefully place the cheesecake on the middle rack above the steamy water and close the oven door. Bake for about 60-70 minutes. Give the cheesecake a gentle shake; it should still be a bit wobbly in the middle.

12. Step 12

    Once your cheesecake is done, turn the oven off and crack the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for at least 1 hour. Then, remove the cheesecake and let the cheesecake rest on the counter at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Then, transfer to the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least for 4 hours or overnight. Because the cheesecake has cookie dough in the filling, it is prone to cracks, so don't fret, it'll still be good. Also, look at my notes below on how to fix it.

13. Step 13

    Once the cheesecake has set and you are ready to decorate, take the cheesecake out of the refrigerator and remove it from the springform pan (to ensure easy release from the pan, run a warm knife around the edges to loosen it).

14. Step 14

    In a large bowl, add the cold heavy cream, powder sugar, vanilla extract, and milk powder. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the ingredients on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes or until peaks form. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl halfway through.  Pro-Tip: Place the mixing bowl in the fridge for 15-30 minutes (or longer) prior to whipping your cream. This makes the process so much easier, preventing it from melting and becoming runny!

15. Step 15

    Next, pipe 8 swirls of whip cream on the cheesecake and adorn each with 1 of the cookie dough balls. Next add sprinkles to the entire cheesecake. Use the sprinkle to cover any cracks you fixed. These sprinkles don't have to be jimmies, so feel free to get some sprinkles of your choice.

16. Step 16

    Lastly, slice and enjoy!

Interactive, hands-free timers are available in the Supper app.