Cranberry Cheesecake With Cranberry Orange Compote Food

CREAMY CHEESECAKE WITH CRANBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Brush a 10-inch springform pan with some of the melted butter. Stir together the remaining butter with the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the side of the pan. Use the back of a measuring cup or a drinking glass to pack the crust firmly and evenly into the edges of the pan. Bake until browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool completely, then set the pan on top of a large sheet of aluminum foil and wrap the foil around the bottom of the pan and up the sides. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream, and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the cream and vanilla extract, and mix until just combined. Beat in the eggs one at time, beating the mixture after the last egg until just combined (take care not to overmix or the cake will turn into a souffle).
• Pour the filling in to the crust. Bake until the cheesecake is slightly golden and barely set in the middle when the pan is tapped, about 1 hour and 20 minutes (the cake might puff up slightly while in the oven, but that is okay; it will deflate as it cools). Turn off the oven, and leave the cake inside with the door shut for 1 hour. It will continue to set and color slightly in the oven.
• Run a thin knife or spatula around the cake to release it from the sides (this also helps reduce cracks in the top of the cake as it chills). Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• For the cranberry compote: Stir the sugar, dried cranberries and 1 cup water together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then add the fresh cranberries. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until most of the fresh cranberries have burst and the sauce is slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the compote to a heat-safe bowl and let it cool slightly before covering the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerating until it is completely chilled. The cranberry sauce will thicken as it cools. (This can be made up to one day in advance.)
• For serving: Spread the cranberry compote in an even layer on top of the chilled cheesecake. The cheesecake will sink a bit in the center as it cools so it creates a perfect well for the cranberry compote. Run a thin knife or spatula between the cake and the sides again, then release the sides of the springform pan and remove the ring from the cheesecake base. Set the base on a cake platter, slice and serve.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a medium straight-sided saute pan, add sugar and wine. Bring to a simmer and cook until it creates a lazy bubble, 235 to 240 degrees F. Add cranberries and stir, bringing temperature to low. Continue to cook cranberries, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes. Add allspice, cinnamon, star anise, bay leaf, entire orange, orange juice, zest and salt. Cook until cranberries begin to burst and thicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes to cool slightly. Remove aromatics, orange and zest from cranberries and either puree in a high-speed blender for smooth cranberry compote, or leave as is for textured compote. Cool and reserve.

WHITE CHOCOLATE ORANGE CHEESECAKE WITH CRANBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Use a food processor or by hand, mix the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the butter pieces and mix until it resembles small pea size pieces. Add the yolk, vanilla, and zest, and mix until it forms a ball. Add the water to help dough come together. Form the dough into a disk and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Press the dough into the bottom of a springform pan and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown and set aside. For the filling, use a mixer with a paddle attachment. Cream the cheese with the sugar on low speed. Add the eggs 1 at a time until smooth making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and orange zest. Slowly pour in the melted white chocolate and mix until well combined. Pour the mixture into the springform pan. Wrap aluminum foil around the base of pan and up side to protect from water bath. Place pan on sheet pan or pan with high sides and fill with 1/3 water. Bake cheesecake for 40 to 45 minutes. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 4 hours before serving.
• To make the compote, place the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, and zest in a saucepan and stir over low heat. Simmer until cranberries soften or pop. Cool mixture and add the orange segments.
• Serve cheesecake with compote and orange segments.

CRANBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE WITH CRANBERRY-RASPBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Make cranberry purée:
• Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to processor. Add vanilla. Puree until smooth. Strain into medium bowl. Cover with plastic. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.
• Make crust:
• Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Wrap outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Blend cookies, sugar and cinnamon in processor. Add butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of pan. Chill crust while preparing filling.
• Make filling:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla.
• Transfer 1/3 of filling to prepared crust. Dollop 1/3 of cranberry puree atop filling. Repeat layering of filling and puree 2 more times. Using knife, swirl puree through filling, creating marbled design.
• Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake puffs around edges, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour, leaving oven door ajar.
• Transfer cake to rack. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool completely. Remove foil from pan sides. Cover cake and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Remove pan sides. Serve cake with Cranberry-Raspberry Compote.

CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE WITH CRANBERRY ORANGE COMPOTE

Steps:

• 1. FOR CRANBERRY FILLING: Combine cranberries, sugar and fresh orange juice in heavy medium saucepan.
• 2. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• 3. Reduce heat and simmer until berries pop and mixture thickens, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, about 10 minutes.
• 4. Cool cranberry filling completely.
• 5. FOR CHEESE FILLING: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until well blended.
• 6. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
• 7. Set cheese filling aside.
• 8. FOR CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 9. Lightly butter 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.
• 10. Place cookie crumbs in medium bowl.
• 11. Add melted butter and blend until moist crumbs form.
• 12. Press onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan.
• 13. Pour cheese filling over crust in pan.
• 14. Spoon 1 cup cranberry filling over cheese filling (reserve remaining cranberry filling for compote).
• 15. Using a small sharp knife, swirl to form marble pattern.
• 16. Bake until center of cheesecake is set, about 1 hour.
• 17. Transfer cheesecake to rack and maintain oven temperature.
• 18. PREPARE TOPPING: Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla in small bowl.
• 19. Gently press down any raised edges of cheesecake.
• 20. Spoon topping over cake.
• 21. Bake 5 minutes.
• 22. Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool.
• 23. Cover and refrigerate over night.
• 24. (Cheesecake can be prepared 2 days in advance. Keep refrigerated)
• 25. Release pan sides and transfer cheesecake to platter.
• 26. Cut cheesecake into wedges and serve, passing compote separately.
• 27. CRANBERRY ORANGE COMPOTE: Combine sugar and water in heavy small saucepan.
• 28. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves and liquid appears clear.
• 29. Transfer to medium bowl and mix in 1 3/4 cups reserved cranberry filling and minced orange peel.
• 30. Using small sharp knife, cut peel and white pith from oranges.
• 31. Working over another bowl to catch juices, cut between membranes to release segments.
• 32. Add segments to bowl with juices.
• 33. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover oranges and cranberry filling separately and refrigerate.)
• 34. Add orange segments and juices to compote and serve.