Cranberry Saucespread 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.

NAN'S CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, then remove from the heat. Stir in the gelatin until completely dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1 cup cold water, the cranberry sauce and pineapple. Mix well, ensuring you break apart any large chunks of the cranberry sauce. Pour into a 9-by-13-inch pan. Cover and place in the refrigerator until firm, 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• Beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar with a hand mixer until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the milk and mix until completely combined. The frosting should be thick but still pourable. Carefully spread the cream cheese frosting in a thin layer over the cranberry sauce. Zest the orange directly over the frosting. Serve up in individual squares.

CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in saucepan and cook 25 to 30 minutes.

PERFECT CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Empty a 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries into a saucepan and transfer 1/2 cup to a small bowl. Add 1 cup sugar, 1 strip orange or lemon zest and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the cranberries are soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the cranberries burst, about 12 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the reserved cranberries. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste and cool to room temperature before serving.

CRANBERRY BOURBON COCKTAIL

Steps:

• Shake 2 ounces each bourbon, cranberry juice and orange juice in a shaker with ice; strain into a glass filled with ice and garnish with cranberries.