Personally, I believe that Christmas is the best time of the year- lights, gifts, family time, and of course, food.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is baking with my grandmother, Meme. She is the one who taught me everything I know about cooking and has encouraged me to try new recipes.

Every year during the holidays we make a Praline-Crusted Cheesecake together. Although I would like to claim that this is a secret family recipe, Meme clipped it out of a Southern Living magazine in November 1999, and she has been making this delicious cheesecake every year since. I began helping her bake this family-favorite dessert when I was 10 years old and we have grown to look forward to spending this time baking together every Christmas.

If you are looking for a new dessert recipe that will fill you with Christmas cheer, look no further. Grab a friend or family member and try it out.

Ingredients:

2 cups crushed shortbread cookies (about 28 cookies)

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

4 pralines, crumbled

5 eight-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened

1 ¾ cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

4 large eggs

2 egg yolks

⅓ whipping cream

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 eight-ounce containers of sour cream

⅓ cup sugar

Garnish: Crumbled pralines

Tips: Use a 10-inch springform pan and bake on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Directions

1. Combine shortbread cookie crumbs and butter. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle coarsely crumbled pralines over the crust.

3. Beat the cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy-duty mixer until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, vanilla, and flour, beating until smooth. Add eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears. Stir in whipping cream and lemon rind. Pour into crust. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.

4. Bake at 350 degrees on the lower oven rack for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour.

5. Stir together sour cream and sugar; spread over cheesecake.

6. Bake on 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on the wire rack: cover and chill for 8 hours. Remove sides of the pan and garnish with pralines, if desired.

From my family to yours, we “whisk” you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.