ORANGE CHEESECAKE

Orange Cheesecake image

I got this recipe from my Dad, who got it off a recipe card. Not satisfied with the orange flavor of the original recipe, I tweaked a few ingredients to make it more intense. You can use your own graham cracker crust recipe if you prefer; we like the store-bought Oreo (dark chocolate) crust.

Provided by Mary Scheffert

Time 1h20m

Yield 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

Ingredients

9 inches Oreo cookie pie crusts (I use Keebler brand)
2 (8 ounce) packages light cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed & undiluted
2 medium whole navel oranges
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure orange extract
chocolate curls (optional)

Steps:

Using a microplane grater or the smallest holes on a box grater, zest one entire orange onto a plate or into a bowl; set aside, and refrigerate zested orange for a later use.
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, making sure there are no lumps; add sugar and mix well.
Add eggs and egg yolk; then add orange juice concentrate, orange zest, flour, vanilla extract& orange extract and mix until thoroughly combined, scraping down sides& bottom of bowl frequently to make sure all of the cream cheese is incorporated.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place prepared pie crust in center of a cookie sheet (preferably without sides).
Brush crust with some of the orange juice concentrate.
Pour cream cheese mixture into prepared crust and bake 45-50 minutes or until center is almost set but still wiggles slightly when shaken gently (cheesecake will continue to cook after removing from oven).
Remove cheesecake from oven, and let cool thoroughly on a wire rack (without the cookie sheet).
When cooled to room temperature, refrigerate cheesecake for several hours.
While cheesecake is chilling, remove some of the rind from the second orange with a vegetable peeler or citrus zester, being careful to only remove the orange part (the white pith is bitter).
If using a vegetable peeler, cut the pieces of rind into very thin julienne strips; set aside.
Make chocolate curls by scraping a large chocolate bar with a heavy knife, holding knife at a 90-degree angle to bar.
When ready to serve, place a mound of the chocolate curls in center of cheesecake; sprinkle with julienned strips of orange.
Refrigerate any leftovers.