Pomegranate White Chocolate Cheesecake Food

CHOCOLATE-POMEGRANATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine cookie crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 min.
• Beat cream cheese, vanilla and 1 cup of the remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 55 min. to 1 hour or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.
• Meanwhile, bring pomegranate juice and remaining sugar to boil in saucepan; simmer on medium-low heat 14 to 16 min. or until thickened, stirring frequently. Cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to use.
• Pour pomegranate sauce over cheesecake just before serving; sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

WHITE CHOCOLATE & POMEGRANATE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat.
• In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt ¾ cup white chocolate in microwave oven on high in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Add chopped pistachios, stirring well. Spread mixture on mat in prepared baking sheet. Top with a piece of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll white chocolate mixture to a smooth, even surface. Using a 2½-inch round cutter, cut 12 rounds in white chocolate, but do not remove from baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm. Remove rounds from baking sheet, discarding excess white chocolate, and store rounds in an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Arrange oven racks so top rack is closer to broiler and second rack is in center of oven. Place a large sheet of foil on top rack. (Foil should cover rack.) Preheat oven to 300°. Spray a 12-well removable-bottom mini cheesecake pan with cooking spray. Wrap bottom of cheesecake pan well with foil.
• In another small microwave-safe bowl, melt remaining ⅓ cup white chocolate in microwave oven on high in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together cream cheese and sugar until creamy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add cornstarch and vanilla extract, beating until combined. Add sour cream, beating until fluffy. Add melted white chocolate, beating until incorporated.
• Spoon 2 tablespoons batter into each well of prepared pan. Spoon ½ teaspoon Pomegranate Jam in centers of batter in wells. Fill wells with remaining batter, covering jam. Place cheesecake pan in a roasting pan. Place roasting pan on center oven rack. Carefully fill roasting pan halfway with water, approximately 3 cups.
• Bake until a wooden pick inserted in centers comes out clean, approximately 1½ hours. Turn oven off, and leave cheesecakes in oven with door closed for 2 hours. Remove from oven, and remove cheesecake pan from roasting pan. Gently run a thin knife around each cheesecake to release sides from pan. Refrigerate cheesecakes in pan for 24 hours.
• Carefully remove chilled cheesecakes from pan by pushing up on bottom disk. Using an offset spatula, remove each cheesecake from metal disk, and place cheesecake atop a white chocolate round.
• Transfer remaining Pomegranate Jam to a small piping bag fitted with a small round tip (Wilton #2). Pipe jam in a decorative fashion on top of cheesecakes.
• Garnish with pomegranate arils and mint, if desired. Serve immediately.
• In a medium saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil together over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is translucent, approximately 2 minutes.

CHOCOLATE-POMEGRANATE CHEESECAKE MINIS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine cookie crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottoms of 24 paper-lined muffin pan cups.
• Beat cream cheese, vanilla and 1 cup of the remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Spoon over crust.
• Bake 20 to 22 min. or until centers are almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, bring pomegranate juice and remaining sugar to boil in saucepan; simmer on medium-low heat 14 to 16 min. or until thickened, stirring frequently. Cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to use.
• Spoon pomegranate sauce over cheesecakes just before serving; sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

CHEESECAKE WITH POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap 3 layers of foil around the outside of a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Butter the pan.
• Combine the graham crackers, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add the butter and pulse until moistened. Press the crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake just until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and mix until smooth, about 35 seconds. Pour the filling into the cooled crust.
• Set the cheesecake in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to the baking pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake until almost set (the center will move slightly when the pan is gently shaken) but not puffed, about 1 hour. Let cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cooled, preferably overnight or for at least 6 hours.
• For the pomegranate sauce: Combine the pomegranate juice and sugar in a saucepan and cook over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Add the pomegranate seeds and mix to combine.
• Pour the pomegranate sauce on top of the cooled cheesecake and serve.

CHOCOLATE-POMEGRANATE CHEESECAKE MINIS

Steps:

• Combine cookie crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottoms of 24 paper-lined muffin pan cups.
• Beat cream cheese, vanilla and 1 cup of the remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Spoon over crust.
• Bake 20 to 22 min. or until centers are almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, bring pomegranate juice and remaining sugar to boil in saucepan; simmer on medium-low heat 14 to 16 min. or until thickened, stirring frequently. Cool completely, then refrigerate until ready to use.
• Spoon pomegranate sauce over cheesecakes just before serving; sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

POMEGRANATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Prep: 50 minutes.
• Bake: 1 hour, 25 minutes.
• Cool: 2 hours.
• Chill: 4 hours.
• Prepare Pomegranate Sauce.
• Preheat oven to 350°F In a mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar. Beat until combined. Add 1 egg; beat well. Beat in 1 1/4 cups flour until combined. Divide dough in half. Cover and refrigerate one portion.
• Spread unrefrigerated dough half on bottom of ungreased 10-inch springform pan with sides removed, spreading dough to edges. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely. When cool, attach sides of pan. Press chilled dough onto sides to a height of 1 3/4 inches, using a thin metal spatula to spread dough.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°F For filling, in an extra large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in the remaining flour on low speed until smooth. Add remaining 3 eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla all at once, beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream, the lemon peel, and 3/4 cup of the pomegranate seeds.
• Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 65 minutes or until edges are puffed and center jiggles slightly when gently shaken. Remove from oven.
• Stir together remaining sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Spread sour cream mixture over top of baked cheesecake. Return to oven; bake for 10 minutes more. Remove from oven. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool for 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan; cool completely. Cover; chill 4 hours or overnight.
• Remove cheesecake and Pomegranate Sauce from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Spoon some sauce over top of cheesecake; pile remaining 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds in center of cheesecake. To serve, slice cheesecake. Pass remaining sauce.
• *TIP* Spoon sour cream mixture on the puffed edges, then carefully spread toward the center.
• EACH SERVING WITH SAUCE: 490 cal, 33 g fat (20 g sat. fat), 143 mg chol, 246 mg sodium, 42 g carbo, 8 g pro. Daily Values: 24% vit. A, 6% vit. C, 9% calcium. 10% iron.
• Pomegranate Sauce (start to finish: 18 min).
• In a saucepan bring pomegranate juice to boiling. Reduce heat, boil gently, uncovered, until reduced to 1 cup (10-12 minutes. Stir together brown sugar and cornstarch; add to juice. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Transfer to bowl; cover surface with clear plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature. Store, covered, in refrigerator until serving. Use to top Pomegranate Cheesecake.
• EACH SERVING: 33 cal, 3 mg sodium, 8 g carbo. Daill values: 5% vit. C, 1% iron.

WHITE CHOCOLATE & RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Melt the butter in a pan or microwave. Very finely crush the biscuits together, stir with the butter, then press very firmly into the base of a 20cm round loosebottomed cake tin. Bake for 6 mins. Cool, then wipe around the inside of the tin with a little oil on kitchen paper.
• Soak the gelatine in water while you make the filling. Tip the chocolate into a bowl over a pan of simmering water, then add the milk. Gently heat until melted, then stir together. Squeeze the gelatine dry, add to the chocolate mixture and stir to dissolve.
• Beat the ricotta, cream, sugar and egg yolks together. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites.
• Stir the chocolate and ricotta mixtures together, then gently fold in the egg whites. Carefully pour onto the cooled biscuit base. Cover the tin with cling film, then chill until firm, preferably overnight.
• To decorate, very generously top the cheesecake with the white chocolate curls, then remove from the tin, scatter with the pomegranate seeds and dust all over with icing sugar, if you like.