Sweet Pickled Cranberry 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-CHERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Bring cranberries, cherries, brown sugar, cider, and pepper to a boil over high heat in a medium saucepan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, then stir in bourbon. Reduce heat, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often and pushing fruit against the side of the pan with the back of a wooden spoon to break apart slightly, until thick and syrupy, about 25 minutes more. Let cool completely.
• Do Ahead
• Sauce can be made 5 days ahead; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

PICKLED CRANBERRIES

Steps:

• Prepare a boiling water bath and three pint jars. Place lids in a small saucepan of water and bring to a gentle simmer.
• Wash cranberries and pick over for any stems or bad berries.
• Combine vinegar and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add cinnamon sticks to the brine.
• Place allspice berries, whole cloves, black peppercorns and juniper berries in a spice bag or a tea ball. Add them to the brine.
• When brine is boiling vigorously, add the cranberries. Stir to combine and cook for 3-7 minutes, until the cranberries begin to pop and the brine has returned to a rolling boil.
• When cooking time has elapsed, remove pot from heat. Pull out the spice bag and cinnamon sticks. Break cinnamon sticks in half and set aside.
• Using a slotted spoon, ladle cranberries into prepared jars. Cover berries with brine, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Place a cinnamon stick segment into each jar.
• Wipe jar rims, apply lids and rings and process in a boiling water bath canner for 10 minutes.
• When time is up, remove jars from canner and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When jars are cool enough to handle, remove rings and check seals. Any unsealed jars should be kept in the refrigerator.
• Let jars sit for at least 24 hours before eating to allow the flavors to settle.

CRANBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the first nine ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until cranberries pop and apples are tender. Add the peaches and apricots; heat through. Stir in pecans; serve warm or chilled. Store in the refrigerator.

FRESH CRANBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Put the cranberries, orange and lemon zest, orange and lemon juice, sugar, vanilla, and 1 1/2 cups of the water in a medium-size nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes.
• Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining 1/2 cup of water and add to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, then stir constantly until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and cool completely.

CRANBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Place over medium-high heat, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until berries start to pop but are still whole. Transfer to a bowl to cool; serve.

SWEET PICKLED-CRANBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Toast coriander in heavy small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, stirring often, about 1 1/2 minutes. Cool. Coarsely crush coriander in mortar with pestle.
• Transfer coriander to medium saucepan. Add all remaining ingredients except cranberries and bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add cranberries and simmer until half of berries burst, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to bowl and cool. Remove orange peel. Cover compote and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to develop. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Using slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to another bowl; add some of syrup and serve.