Pear Ginger Cheesecake Food

PEAR-GINGERSNAP CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Fill a roasting pan halfway with water and set on a rack in the lower third of the oven; position another rack in the middle and preheat to 325 degrees F. Wrap the outside (bottom and side) of a 9-inch springform pan with foil. Make the crust: Pulse the gingersnaps in a food processor until finely ground. Add the melted butter and brown sugar and pulse to combine. Press into the bottom and about 1 inch up the side of the prepared pan; set aside.
• Prepare the pears: Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pears, sprinkle with the granulated sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pears are tender and lightly browned around the edges, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the molasses and continue cooking until syrupy, about 2 more minutes; set aside.
• Make the filling: Beat the Neufchatel cheese and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and flour and beat until just combined, then add the sour cream and beat until smooth, about 1 more minute.
• Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Gently arrange the pear slices on top; set aside any extra molasses syrup at room temperature for serving. Transfer the cheesecake to the oven, placing it on the middle rack directly over the water bath. Bake until lightly browned and set around the edge but the center still jiggles slightly, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 6 hours or overnight. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature 20 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edge and remove the springform ring. Drizzle with the remaining molasses syrup.

GINGER PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment or waxed paper.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pears and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice and remove pan from the heat.
• Whisk the flour, ginger, the remaining 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
• In another bowl, whisk the milk, molasses, and remaining brown sugar. Add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Use a spatula to stir the molasses mixture into the dry ingredients to make a thick liquid batter.
• Heat the water and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan until just boiling. Whisk the hot water into to the batter until just combined. Stir in the pears. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake in the center of the oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.
• Cool cake in the pan on a rack. Cut into 12 squares. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving, if desired.

GINGERSNAP-PEAR CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F
• In a medium bowl, combine the butter and crushed gingersnaps. Press the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan, working the crumbs over the bottom and then up the sides. Bake for 20 minutes.
• In a small bowl, toss the pears and ginger. Line the cooled crust with the pears, overlapping the slices slightly.
• In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until combined. Stir in 2 teaspoons of the vanilla. Pour the mixture over the pears. Bake until the top is barely set but still slightly wobbly, about 50 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack but leave oven on.
• In a small bowl, combine the sour cream and the remaining sugar and vanilla. Pour over the cheesecake and bake for 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

HONEY PEAR CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Securely wrap a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square) around and under a greased 9-in. springform pan. In a bowl, combine crushed gingersnaps and sugar; stir in 4 tablespoons butter, adding more as necessary. Press onto bottom and 1-1/2 in. up sides of prepared pan., Beat cream cheese until fluffy, gradually adding 2/3 cup honey, lemon juice and minced ginger root. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Fold in 1 cup chopped pears and raisins. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. hot water to larger pan. Bake until center is just set and top appears dull, 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours. Remove from oven; remove springform 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. Remove rim from pan., In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add remaining honey and pears; cook and stir until pears are tender. Stir in pecans. Top cake with pear-pecan mixture.

PEAR & GINGER CHEESECAKE PHYLLO CUPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Beat Neufchatel, 3/4 cup sugar, vanilla and 1/2 tsp. ginger in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.
• Toss pears with nuts, remaining sugar and ginger in medium bowl. Lightly spray 1 phyllo sheet with cooking spray; cover with 4 of the remaining phyllo sheets, lightly spraying each sheet with additional cooking spray before covering with next sheet. Cut into 6 (4-inch) squares.
• Press 1 stack into each of 6 muffin pan cups. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets. Spoon Neufchatel mixture into phyllo cups; top with pear mixture.
• Bake 20 to 25 min. or until filling is puffed around edges and centers are almost set. Cool 5 min. before removing strudels from pan to wire racks; cool 10 min. before serving.

TRIPLE GINGER CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Whizz together the biscuits or crush in a sealed bag until you get fine crumbs. Gently melt the butter, then mix into the crumbs. Press evenly into a 20cm loosebottomed round cake tin. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
• Put the remaining ingredients into a food processor and whizz until smooth. Spread over the base, then smooth the top with a knife. Leave in the fridge overnight to set. Remove the cake from the tin and top with roasted rhubarb (recipe, below) or your choice of fruit.

GINGER-PEAR CHEESECAKE CUPS

Steps:

• Drain pear slices, reserving 1/4 cup of the juice.
• Crush cookies; sprinkle half of the crushed cookies evenly into 4 dessert cups.
• Stir together cream cheese spread and reserved pear juice in medium bowl. Stir in whipped topping; spoon evenly over crushed cookies in dessert cups. Top with pear slices and remaining crushed cookies.

CARAMELIZED GINGER-PEAR CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450°F.
• Combine gingersnap crumbs and butter; press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 10-inch springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour into crust.
• Bake 10 min. Reduce oven temperature to 250°F; continue baking 20 to 25 min. or until center is almost set. Cool 10 min. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool completely.
• Arrange pears over cheesecake. Mix remaining sugar and 2 Tbsp. reserved pear liquid in large saucepan. Cook, without stirring, on medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved and syrup turns a deep golden color. (Do not over cook.) Remove from heat. Combine ginger and 2 Tbsp. of the remaining reserved pear liquid; carefully add to the hot sugar mixture, stirring until blended. (Syrup will bubble up. Be careful.) Immediately drizzle over cheesecake. Refrigerate 4 hours or until chilled.