CRUST:

2 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted

FILLING:

2 1/2 lbs. cream cheese
1 3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
5 eggs + 2 egg yolks
8 oz. good quality white chocolate, broken into 1/2" pieces or white chocolate chips
1/4 c. half and half

GARNISH:

2 c. white chocolate shavings for garnish
Chocolate hearts for garnish (opt.)

CRUST: Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter and mix well. Press mixture into bottom and up the side of an 11" springform pan. Chill until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

FILLING: Beat cream cheese in mixing bowl. Add sugar, flour and vanilla. Beat well on very low speed (you do not want mixture to whip or the cake will rise too much while baking and will fall when removed from the oven). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add white chocolate pieces and mix well. Add half and half. Pour filling over crust. Bake 1 1/4 hours, or until batter doesn't wiggle anymore. Let cool at least 2 hours. Then refrigerate overnight. The next day, remove from pan and garnish with white chocolate shavings and chocolate hearts. Makes 8 servings.

HINT: To make garnishes, melt extra white chocolate and pour into baking pan. When chocolate hardens, take a sharp knife and run across surface to make shavings. Or, use a vegetable peeler to cut curls from a bar of white chocolate. Soften the bar in the microwave 20 to 30 seconds first, then place on a flat surface and scrape peeler across.