Frozen Cheesecake on a Stick

It's time for the Los Angeles County Fair again! And time for more food on a stick. I've seen some strange ones, some messy ones, but this summer the idea of cheesecake on a stick caught my interest. Combining chocolate, a dense cheesecake, and the convenience of a portable dessert, it's nearly perfect. If you want, you can go ahead and bake your own cheesecake, but my kitchen gets around 90 to 95 degrees these days, with no end in sight. Melting the chocolate only requires a few minutes on the stove, placing a Pyrex bowl over a saucepan with hot water. This dessert makes good use of the frozen cheesecakes sold at Trader Joe's, one of Michael's favorites. Thanks to George for mentioning this dessert.


Cheesecake on a Stick

1 (8-inch) frozen cheesecake (Trader Joe's is best for this)
1 (12 ounce) package milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice
or toppings like brittle chips, jimmies, mini chips
8 Popsicle sticks

Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Cut cheesecake into 8 equal wedges.
Make a 1/4-inch horizontal slit in the center back of the crust of each
slice of cheesecake with the tip of a knife. Insert a wooden craft stick
through the slit, halfway into each slice. Place the slices on the baking
sheet, cover pan completely with plastic wrap, and freeze overnight.

Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a bowl set over simmering water, on low heat, stirring constantly. Remove bowl from the heat and spoon over the cheesecake slices, holding the wedge of cheesecake carefully over the bowl by the stick, coating completely and allowing the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Before the chocolate hardens, sprinkle 1 tablespoon nuts or toppings over the top of each and return to the baking sheet; freeze for 1 hour, or until the chocolate and cheesecake are frozen. Makes 8 servings.