Cranberry-Orange Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust
Contributed by: Barbara Fairchild of The Bon Appetit Cookbook
Tasteful Reading
(NAPSI) - In celebration of its 50th anniversary, Bon Appetit magazine has published "The Bon Appetit Cookbook" (Wiley; $34.95) by Editor-in-Chief Barbara Fairchild.
This impressive book is nearly 800 pages long and full of illustrations and clear instructions. Over 1,200 recipes include fun classics like Baked Brie with Caramelized Onions, Rosemary-Roasted Salmon, Hot and Sticky Apricot-Glazed Chicken, and Apple and Cranberry Pie in Cornmeal Crust. You can plan an entire menu--and party!--with chapters on everything from Appetizers to Sandwiches and Burgers, Meats, Fish, Pies and Tarts, Drinks and more. "Notes from the Test Kitchen" includes the secrets to more than three dozen cooking techniques and includes tips on the well-stocked pantry, refrigerator and freezer; a handy glossary of cooking terminology; and recommended culinary equipment.
"You can always tell a Bon Appetit recipe-it's a sophisticated twist on a celebrated classic, and it's easy to make," says Fairchild. "We feel this book is our way of saying 'thank you' to the readers who have made Bon Appetit a part of their lives for decades-and 'welcome' to those cooks and readers discovering the magic of Bon Appetit recipes for the first time."
"The Bon Appetit Cookbook" is a great addition to any kitchen and since the recipes have been tested and retested, you're assured of a good and yummy outcome.
Cape Cod's Cranberry bogs provided the inspiration for this festive dessert, a vanilla cheesecake scented with orange peel and topped with sweetened fresh cranberries. You can make the cheesecake and the cranberry topping a day or two ahead, then simply assemble the cake an hour before you plan to serve it. To keep the moist crust mixture from sticking to your fingers, cover your fingers with plastic wrap before pressing the crumbs into the pan. Because this cheesecake is cooked in a water bath, you need to wrap the springform pan in aluminum foil; this prevents the water from seeping in and making the crust soggy.
Ingredients:
- Crust
- 1 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies, broken
- 2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Filling
- 4 8-ounce packages Philadelphia brand cream cheese, room temperature
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Topping
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
Directions:
FOR CRUST: Preheat oven to 325ºF. Finely grind cookies and chocolate in processor. Add butter and blend until moist clumps form. Using plastic wrap as aid, press crumb mixture over bottom and 1-1/4 inches up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2-3/4-inch-high sides. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.
FOR FILLING: Increase oven temperature to 350ºF. Wrap 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil around bottom and sides of springform pan. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light. Beat in flour. Beat in eggs 1 at a time just until blended. Beat in orange peel and vanilla.
POUR filling into crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with enough hot water to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until filling is just set in center but still moves slightly when pan is shaken gently, about 55 minutes. Remove cake from water bath; transfer to rack and cool completely, about 4 hours. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
FOR TOPPING: Stir sugar and 3 tablespoons water in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium; add cornstarch mixture and bring to simmer. Add cranberries; cook until beginning to pop, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in orange peel. Cool completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Cheesecake and cranberry mixture can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
RUN knife around top edge of cheesecake to loosen. Release pan sides. Top cheesecake with cranberry mixture. Chill until set, about 1 hour.
For more information, visit www.wiley.com.
Serving Size: Makes 12 Servings
