Orange Cheesecake With Candied Kumquats Food

ORANGE CHEESECAKE WITH CANDIED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• Directions for Candied Kumquats: Combine water and sugar in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add kumquats; reduce heat. Simmer until kumquat slices are translucent, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; cool kumquats in syrup. Strain kumquats, reserving syrup. Combine kumquats and 1/4 cup syrup in small bowl. Return remaining syrup to same saucepan; boil until reduced to 1 and 1/4 cups, about 8 minutes.
• Directions for Crust: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350° F. Combine cookie crumbs and brown sugar in medium bowl; add melted butter and stir until crumbs feel moist when pressed together with fingertips. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 and 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until set and edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool crust in pan on rack. Maintain oven temperature. Wrap 4 layers of heavy-duty foil tightly around outside of pan with crust to make pan waterproof.
• Directions for Filling: Combine orange juice, 1/4 cup sugar, and orange peel in small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat. Simmer until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Chill until cool
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until smooth. Mix in sour cream, flour, and salt. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in cooled orange juice mixture. Pour filling into crust; place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides ofspringform pan.
• Bake cake until just set in center, about 1 hour and 35 minutes. Remove cake from roasting pan; remove foil. Place cake directly in refrigerator and chill overnight. Arrange kumquat slices atop cake, covering completely. Remove pan sides; place cake on platter. Cut cake into wedges; drizzle with some kumquat syrup over and serve. The kumquat syrup is perfect with the cake. But don't stop there. It's also yummy drizzled over vanilla ice cream or in a cup of tea, a glass of club soda, or even a vodka Martini.

ORANGE CHEESECAKE WITH CANDIED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• For candied kumquats:
• Combine water and sugar in medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add kumquats; reduce heat. Simmer until kumquat slices are translucent, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; cool kumquats in syrup. Strain kumquats, reserving syrup. Combine kumquats and 1/4 cup syrup in small bowl. Return remaining syrup to same saucepan; boil until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 8 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover separately and chill.
• For crust:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Combine cookie crumbs and brown sugar in medium bowl; add 6 tablespoons melted butter and stir until crumbs feel moist when pressed together with fingertips, adding remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter if mixture is dry. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake crust until set and edges are golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool crust in pan on rack. Maintain oven temperature.
• Wrap 4 layers of heavy-duty foil tightly around outside of pan with crust to make pan waterproof.
• For filling:
• Combine orange juice, 1/4 cup sugar, and orange peel in small saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat. Simmer until mixture is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Chill until cool.
• Meanwhile, using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until smooth. Mix in sour cream, flour, and salt. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in cooled orange juice mixture. Pour filling into crust; place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.
• Bake cake until just set in center, about 1 hour 35 minutes. Remove cake from roasting pan; remove foil. Place cake directly in refrigerator and chill overnight. Arrange kumquat slices atop cake, covering completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Tent cake with foil and refrigerate.
• Remove pan sides; place cake on platter. Cut cake into wedges; drizzle some kumquat syrup over and serve.
• The KUMQUAT SYRUP is perfect with the cake-but don't stop there. It's also yummy drizzled over vanilla or coffee ice cream or in a cup of tea, a glass of club soda, or even a vodka Martini.

EGGNOG CHEESECAKE WITH CANDIED KUMQUATS

Steps:

• CHEESECAKE.
• 1. Heat oven to 375°F Butter a 9 - or 10 - inch spring form pan with 1 tablespoon of butter; set aside.
• 2. In food processor bowl process cereal about 2 minutes, until a fine crumb forms. Add the 1/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, and salt; process to combine. With processor running, add remaining butter through feed tube just until combined. Press crumb mixture on bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• 3. In clean food processor bowl, *process cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 cup sugar until combined. Add eggs; process until creamy, scraping down sides once or twice. Add eggnog, vanilla, bourbon, rum, and brandy; process until combined.
• 4. Gently pour filling into baked crust. Bake 45 minutes or until sides are slightly puffed (center will be soft). Turn off oven and leave door ajar. Let cheesecake stand in oven 1 hour.
• 5. Transfer to wire rack; cool 15 minutes. Using a small thin knife, loosen crust from sides of spring form pan. Cool 30 minutes. Remove sides from pan; cool 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. To serve, top with Candied Kumquats, if desired.
• ***Cheesecake filling may be prepared with electric mixer, beating on medium speed.
• CANDIED KUMQUATS.
• 1. With paring knife, piercing only skin, cutting four evenly spaced slits in each kumquat. Place in medium saucepan; add cold water to cover. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook 5 minutes. Drain in colander.
• 2. In medium saucepan stir to dissolve 1 1/2 cups of the sugar in the 3/4 cup water; add kumquats. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low to barely simmer. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes, until glazed. Remove fruit from syrup with slotted spoon. Place on wire rack over 15x10x1 - inch pan. Cool 10 minutes.
• 3. Place the remaining sugar in small bowl. Roll whole kumquats in sugar. Space on rack and let stand overnight. Store in airtight container in cool, dry place up to 3 months. Kumquats may be sliced before topping cheesecake.

CANDIED KUMQUATS FOR SEVILLE ORANGE CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Rinse kumquats; place in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; drain immediately. Repeat two more times, always starting with cold water.
• Place kumquats, sugar, and the water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved. Immediately remove from heat; let kumquats cool completely in syrup.
• The candied kumquats can be used immediately or stored, refrigerated, in the syrup in an airtight plastic container for up to a month.