No-Bake Chocolatey Cocoa Puffs® Cheesecake

Special equipment: Mixer, food processor, 9-inch springform pan

Ingredients

serves Makes one 9-inch cheesecake, active time 1 hour, total time 4 hours

• 8 1/2 cups Cocoa Puffs® cereal (about 1 box), divided
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup heavy cream, divided, cold
• 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted
• 4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Procedures

1. Finely crush 5 cups Cocoa Puffs® cereal in food processor. Place in bowl with salt, and stir with butter until moistened. Firmly press into bottom and about 2 inches up sides of 9-inch springform pan.
   
2. Beat ½ cream in mixer fitted with whip attachment on medium high speed to soft peak. Transfer to small bowl and keep chilled.
   
3. Place cream cheese in unwashed mixer bowl on mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium low speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Turn off mixer, add sugar and vanilla, then beat on medium speed until fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl. Add melted bittersweet chocolate and beat until combined. Transfer to large bowl and fold in whipped cream.
   
4. Spread ½ of the cheesecake batter into pan. Scatter 1 ½ cups Cocoa Puffs® cereal over batter and then spread remaining cheesecake batter into pan. Smooth top and chill 1 hour.
   
5. In heatproof bowl set over pan of simmering water, heat semi-sweet chocolate with remaining ¼ cream, whisking gently, until mixture is smooth. Spread over top of cheesecake and scatter with remaining 2 cups Cocoa Puffs® cereal. Continue to chill until firm, about 3 more hours.