Cheesecake With Glazed Fruit Food

GLAZED STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap foil securely around pan., In a small bowl, mix pecans and wafer crumbs; stir in butter. Press onto bottom and 1/2 in. up sides of prepared pan., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and 1-1/3 cups sugar until smooth. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake until center is almost set, 65-75 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes on a wire rack. In a small bowl, mix sour cream and remaining sugar and vanilla; spread over top of cheesecake. Bake 5 minutes longer., Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled., In a small saucepan, whisk cornstarch and liqueur until smooth. Stir in spreadable fruit; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally., Remove rim from springform pan. Arrange strawberries over cheesecake; top with some of the glaze, allowing glaze to drip down sides. Refrigerate until glaze is set, about 1 hour. To serve, gently warm remaining glaze; serve with cheesecake.

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE WITH HOMEMADE FRUIT SAUCES

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Break the graham crackers into pieces, then pulse in a food processor with the sugar until finely ground; drizzle in the melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack and let cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
• Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Transfer to the oven and bake until the edge is set but the center still jiggles slightly, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and keep the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar, 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely, then refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Top with homemade fruit sauce (see below).
• Rasberry-Rose
• Combine 3 cups raspberries, 1 1/2 cups rose wine, 1 cup sugar, 1 strip orange zest, the juice of 1 orange, 2 teaspoons vanilla and a pinch of cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 30 to 40 minutes. Whisk 2 teaspoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water; whisk into the sauce until thickened, 3 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, using a ladle to push it through. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate. (Makes 1 1/2 cups.)
• Honeydew-Avocado
• Puree 2 cups cubed honeydew melon, 1 small peeled and pitted avocado, 1/3 cup sugar and the juice of 1 lime until smooth. If the sauce is still lumpy, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, using a ladle to push it through. Cover and refrigerate. (Makes 1 3/4 cups.)
• Mango-Coconut
• Combine 2 cups coconut water and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Add 2 chopped mangoes and cook until just tender, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the juice of 1 lime and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Puree until smooth, then strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, using a ladle to push it through. Let cool; cover and refrigerate. (Makes 1 3/4 cups.)
• Maple-Blueberry
• Combine 3 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 cup water, 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup sugar, the juice of 1 lemon and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then lower the heat and simmer until reduced by half, 20 to 30 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, using a ladle to push it through. Let cool; cover and refrigerate. (Makes 1 3/4 cups.)
• Strawberry-Rhubarb
• Toss 2 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb, 1 pound quartered strawberries and 3/4 cup sugar in a saucepan; let sit until juicy, 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, using a ladle to push it through. Let cool, then cover and refrigerate. (Makes 1 1/2 cups.)
• Apricot-Ginger
• Combine 1 cup dried apricots, 1/3 cup sugar, 3 thin slices ginger, 1 1/4 cups water, 1/2 cup cranberry juice and the juice of 2 lemons in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the apricots are very soft, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool; discard the ginger. Puree until smooth, then cover and refrigerate. Stir in up to 1/2 cup water if the sauce seems thick. (Makes 2 cups.)

CHEESECAKE WITH GLAZED FRUIT

Steps:

• 1. Prepare crust by mixing graham cracker crumbs, confectioners sugar, butter and cinnamon. With back of spoon, press firmly on bottom and sides of 9" pie pan. Chill.
• 2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Let cream cheese soften at room temperature then beat with lemon rind until very creamy using an electric mixer. Add next three ingredients and beat at medium speed until blended, then beat for 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Pour into crust and bake about 30 minutes; cool.
• 3. To decorate and glaze, put a hulled large strawberry n the center of pie. Arrange strawberry halves petal fashion around the center strawberry. Surround with blueberries. Cut pineapple slices in 1 1/2" wedges and arrange alternately with apricot halves around the edge of pie.
• 4. To prepare glaze: in small saucepan blend cornstarch, pineapple/apricot syrup and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Cook, starring over low heat until clear and thickened. Cool slightly. Spoon glaze carefully over fruit using just enough to cover.

MIXED BERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
• To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.
• To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss berries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CLEAR FRUIT GLAZE FOR CAKES

Steps:

• Bring the sugar and 1/2 cup juice to a boil.
• Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining juice. Add to the boiling juice and cook till thick.
• Stir in the corn syrup. Bring back to a boil and remove from heat.
• Cool and drizzle over cake.

OLD-FASHIONED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine almonds and wafer crumbs; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat in vanilla and lemon zest just until blended. Pour into crust. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until center is almost set., Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla; carefully spread over filling. Bake 10 minutes longer or until edges appear dry. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Cover and chill overnight. Remove sides of pan. Top with fresh fruit. Refrigerate leftovers.