Every home cook remembers the first recipe that they have ever made. It is often inspired by their families, or gardens, or if you’re lucky like me…Mrs. Fields. Um, let me explain.
The first thing that I ever baked by myself was a white chocolate cheesecake. Divine. And impressive for a 10 year old. Why Mrs. Fields, though? The famous cookie lady? You see, there was no popular Food Network at that time, and cooking shows were not the first show of choice when my family was picking out something to watch. But I was always intrigued by her Saturday early morning show, Great American Desserts, and that day, I just got to the television before anyone else.
In the interest of full disclosure, it was not really the desserts that interested me. Everyone had walked by Mrs. Fields’ cookies at the malls, but I a) never knew that a “Mrs. Fields” actually existed, and b) thought that if there was actually a Mrs. Fields baking cookies, she would be an old, fat, lovable, grandma-looking woman. I was so intrigued by this young, attractive woman being so passionate about baking. It was always so fascinating to me that she was the Mrs. Fields.
For whatever reason, on that particular day, I felt motivated and chose to write down whatever she did. Then promptly announced to my family that I would be baking a white chocolate cheesecake that day. It was not the most beautiful baking event. I did not have a springform pan, nor did I know what one was. I also mixed the topping into the cheesecake batter because, quite frankly, I did not know any better. I also added a handful of stray white chocolate chips on top, because I thought that it would look pretty (it didn’t). But boy. What a cheesecake. It was the best thing ever.
This cheesecake became a Thanksgiving tradition in my family for years to come. Until I became more adventurous and confident in the kitchen. It lost its place on the menu for a pumpkin cheesecake one year, to a sweet potato gingersnap pie the next. There was also the year that I thought that we all needed to be on diets and I decided to make all of the pies with half of the sugar. We really missed the cheesecake that year.
But just last week, my cousin reminded me of this cheesecake and asked me to make it for him. I no longer had the recipe, but after some internet searching and digging, I found the exact one. Having made so many other yummy dessert recipes over the past several years, I did not think that I would be that impressed with this old recipe. But it was just as delicious as I remembered it, and I think that it may find itself on the Thanksgiving table once again.
Just so you know, my cousin appreciated the long lost cheesecake as well. And ate half of it in one sitting. ..Not recommended.
White Chocolate Cheesecake – directly from Mrs. Fields
Crust
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tbsp unsalted butter – melted
To make the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs and butter, and process in a food processor until combined. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan in aluminum foil. Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Chill the crust.
Filling:
18 ounces white chocolate
1/4 cup heavy cream
1-1/2 pound cream cheese – softened
1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1tbsp vanilla extract
To prepare the filling, melt the white chocolate with the cream over hot, not simmering, water. Set aside to cool slightly.
Preheat the oven to 275F. Set a shallow baking pan filled with hot water on the bottom rack of the oven.
Set the cheesecake on the centre rack and bake for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to 250F and bake for 1 hour longer. Without opening the oven, turn off the heat but leave the cake in the over for 1 hour. Cool the cheesecake on a rack for 30 minutes.
White Chocolate Ganache:
8 ounces white chocolate – finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Meanwhile, make the ganache. Place the white chocolate in a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream and butter to a simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand, covered for 5 minutes, then stir until smooth. Let the ganache col to room temperature.
Pour the ganache over the cheesecake and spread it smooth. Cover the cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
To unmold, wrap a hot wet towel around the pan, then remove the sides of the springform.
Social Kitchen 
September 16, 2011 at 9:59 am
Looks fantastic…….. Damn you, diet.
November 23, 2011 at 9:26 am
[…] White Chocolate Cheesecake […]
March 8, 2012 at 4:00 am
Thank you for publishing this recipe, I have lost my mrs fields cookbook and wanted to make this for a birthday, you are a culinary life saver
January 8, 2013 at 8:45 am
Yes, indeed, I know this cheesecake well! People tell me it is the BEST cheesecake they have ever eaten. It is time consuming but very easy to make. BTW, the recipe is from Mrs. Field’s I Love Chocolate cookbook. She has so many luscious chocolate recipes.
I DO tweak it a bit though and have changed the crust to Keebler’s Pecan Sandies with the melted butter and then throw in white chocolate chips whole.
I make it for my husband’s birthday and he takes it to work (reserving two pieces for my daughter and I). It is just too tempting to have in the house. YIKES, calories! The staff at Hallmark Business Connections, (where he works) truly look forward to his birthday.
I guess the only drawback is that it is quite a pricey cake to make with 30 ounces of white chocolate…but for an extraordinary treat it is well worth the $.
April 22, 2013 at 8:33 am
[…] this is it. Coconut macaroons. Let’s talk about this for a minute. Even though white chocolate cheesecake was the first recipe I had ever tried on my own, and adding chocolate chips to a cake mix was the […]
November 19, 2013 at 6:15 pm
What size spring form pan (sorry if I overlooked it)?
November 19, 2013 at 6:33 pm
a standard 9 or 10 inch pan!
November 16, 2014 at 6:39 pm
In the crust of the cheesecake u told to mix the white chocholate along with graham crackers….but in the ingredients white chocholate is missing…what is the correct measurement of the chocholate for the crust
Minu
November 16, 2014 at 7:31 pm
Hi Minu, thank you – good catch! I updated the recipe.