We are having some visitors this weekend  – Luke’s buddy from Florida and a couple of my friends from San Francisco. I decided I wanted to bake something yummy to have in the house for a post-skiing treat that also would help us get into the Easter spirit.

My concept? Mocha Caramel Cadbury Egg Cheesecake.

This dessert is a perfect mix of my favorite Easter candy – Cadbury Eggs – and the flavor combination of coffee, chocolate and caramel.

Crust Ingredients:
18 chocolate creme cookies
5 tbsp of butter melted
2 tsp of instant coffee dissolved in 2 tsp of boiling water

Filling Ingredients:
Four 8 oz packages of cream cheese
Four large eggs
1/4 – 3/4 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tbsp of corn starch
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in 2 tbsp of boiling water
8 oz melted dark or semi-sweet chocolate

Topping Ingredients:
10 Caramel Cadbury Eggs
Hard shell chocolate sauce

Directions:
Set out the eggs, cream cheese and sour cream until they are room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 inch springform pan.
Place the cookies in a sealed plastic bag and smash them until they are small crumbs. Then combine the crumbs with the melted butter and dissolved instant coffee and mix well. Using your fingers, press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a greased springform pan.

Bake the crust for 10 minutes until it is set.

For the filling, beat the cream cheese, sugar and corn starch together until smooth. Mix in the vanilla, dissolved instant coffee and the sour cream until combined.

Beat in the eggs one at a time making sure each one is mixed in through before adding the next. Then mix in the melted chocolate.

Pour the batter on top of the finished crust and smooth out so it’s evenly distributed. Now it’s time for the fun part- the Cadbury Egg Topping!

Unwrap nine (save one for later) caramel Cadbury Eggs and place on a cutting board. Using a steak knife, cut each egg into smaller pieces and place in a bowl.

By hand, place the smaller pieces onto the top of your uncooked cheesecake until the top is covered with gooey caramel and crunchy chocolate (you can lick your fingers too).

Place a cookie sheet in your oven and put the cheesecake on top of it. Bake for 15 minutes at 350. Then, without opening your oven door, turn the temperature down to 200 degrees and bake for two hours.

After two hours, turn the oven off, remove the cheesecake and run a knife around the edge to release it from the pan. This will help prevent your cheesecake from cracking as it cools. Return it to the oven to gradually cool for another two hours. Then place it in the refrigerator overnight.

The next morning, decorate your cheesecake by cutting one Cadbury egg  in half using a knife and placing it on top of your cake.

Then drizzle the hard chocolate shell topping all over to recreate the crunchiness of the Cadbury shell.

This Cheesecake is sooooo decadent and delicious. The Mocha flavors are just strong enough in the filling to break through during every bite. The Cadbury Egg topping is a real winner too. It gets crunchy and caramelized as it bakes adding amazing texture to each bite.

I would highly recommend you make this recipe this weekend. It will most definitely be a hit at a brunch, lunch supper or even midnight snack.

Have a joyous Easter weekend!