Best White Chocolate Orange Cheesecake With Cranberry Compote Recipes

WHITE CHOCOLATE-CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Set racks in the lower third and middle of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, nutmeg and salt in a bowl. Add the melted butter and mix with your hands until combined. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Freeze until ready to fill.
• Make the filling: Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a small pot; remove from the heat. Put the white chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set over the pot (do not let the bowl touch the water); stir until melted, about 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pot and set aside.
• Beat the cream cheese, sour cream and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the cornstarch and beat 2 minutes. Beat in the melted white chocolate, vanilla and salt until combined.
• Fill a roasting pan halfway with water and set on the lower oven rack. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and set on the middle oven rack. Bake until the edge is set but the center still jiggles slightly, 1 hour, 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit in the oven, 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Make the compote: Spread the cranberries on a rimmed baking sheet, sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar and set aside until they release some of their juices, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 2/3 cup sugar, the orange zest and juice, and 3/4 cup water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
• Drain the cranberries and add them to the saucepan. Cook, stirring, until they begin to burst, about 7 minutes. Transfer the compote to a bowl and refrigerate until completely cool.
• Before serving, run a hot knife around the edge of the cheesecake, then remove the springform ring. Top with the cranberry compote and shaved white chocolate.

CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE WITH CRANBERRY ORANGE COMPOTE

Steps:

• 1. FOR CRANBERRY FILLING: Combine cranberries, sugar and fresh orange juice in heavy medium saucepan.
• 2. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• 3. Reduce heat and simmer until berries pop and mixture thickens, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, about 10 minutes.
• 4. Cool cranberry filling completely.
• 5. FOR CHEESE FILLING: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until well blended.
• 6. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
• 7. Set cheese filling aside.
• 8. FOR CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 9. Lightly butter 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.
• 10. Place cookie crumbs in medium bowl.
• 11. Add melted butter and blend until moist crumbs form.
• 12. Press onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan.
• 13. Pour cheese filling over crust in pan.
• 14. Spoon 1 cup cranberry filling over cheese filling (reserve remaining cranberry filling for compote).
• 15. Using a small sharp knife, swirl to form marble pattern.
• 16. Bake until center of cheesecake is set, about 1 hour.
• 17. Transfer cheesecake to rack and maintain oven temperature.
• 18. PREPARE TOPPING: Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla in small bowl.
• 19. Gently press down any raised edges of cheesecake.
• 20. Spoon topping over cake.
• 21. Bake 5 minutes.
• 22. Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool.
• 23. Cover and refrigerate over night.
• 24. (Cheesecake can be prepared 2 days in advance. Keep refrigerated)
• 25. Release pan sides and transfer cheesecake to platter.
• 26. Cut cheesecake into wedges and serve, passing compote separately.
• 27. CRANBERRY ORANGE COMPOTE: Combine sugar and water in heavy small saucepan.
• 28. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves and liquid appears clear.
• 29. Transfer to medium bowl and mix in 1 3/4 cups reserved cranberry filling and minced orange peel.
• 30. Using small sharp knife, cut peel and white pith from oranges.
• 31. Working over another bowl to catch juices, cut between membranes to release segments.
• 32. Add segments to bowl with juices.
• 33. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover oranges and cranberry filling separately and refrigerate.)
• 34. Add orange segments and juices to compote and serve.

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-GLAZED WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Finely grind shortbread cookies and toasted hazelnuts in processor. Add melted unsalted butter and process until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared springform pan. Bake until crust is pale golden, about 8 minutes. Cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.
• Make filling:
• In top of double boiler set over barely simmering water, stir white chocolate until melted. Remove pan from over water.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until blended and smooth. Add sour cream and Frangelico and beat until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in melted white chocolate.
• Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake cake until top is golden and puffed and center is set, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool in pan on rack (cake will fall in center). Refrigerate until cold.
• Make topping:
• Dissolve 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 1 teaspoon Frangelico in small bowl; set aside. Combine 1 cup cranberries, 1 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups cranberries, grated lemon peel and cornstarch mixture. Simmer until cranberries just begin to pop and mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Cool. Cover and refrigerate until mixture gels. (Cheesecake and cranberry topping can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.)
• Run small sharp knife around sides of springform pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Smooth sides of cheesecake with knife. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Transfer cranberries to strainer and drain well, reserving any syrup. Spoon cranberries evenly atop cheesecake. Cut cheesecake into wedges and serve, passing any reserved cranberry syrup separately.