i'm bock!
this loong weekend has been simply grand.
and if your week has been anything like mine, you've been indulging your brains out and all you want right now is a plate of spinach and a giant sweatshirt.
but
how lame would i be if i returned to you bearing a plate of spinach..
no. i think we'll do cheesecake instead. i have a feeling you won't mind.
this cake of cheese is gorgeous. i'm in love with the colors almost as much as the flavorexplosion taste.
chocolate cookie crust. light zest flecked cheesecake. sour-y sweet cranberry sauce.
this is the business.
it won the beauty award in the pageant of thanksgiving desserts. it won because i made myself the judge and i might be biased BUT STILL.
come on, look at those colors!
cheesecakes are completely perfect for giant dinner party event situations. they dress to impress, are completely bonkers delicious, and are made the day before so no dessert stressing whatsoever on the day of the partay. woooot!
and you know what? it would look dashing on your christmas table. think about that.
Black Bottomed Orange Cranberry Cheesecake
from Bon Appetit Dec 2002
crust:
1 9 oz box chocolate wafer cookies (Nabisco)
2 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
filling:
4 8 oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
2 tsp grated orange peel
1 tsp vanilla
cranberry topping:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp water
1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 1 tbsp water
2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 tsp grated orange peel
1/2 tsp vanilla
for crust: preheat oven to 325. finely grind cookies and chocolate in food processor. add butter, and process until moist clumps form. press crust mixture onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. bake until set, about 8 minutes. cool completely.
for filling: increase oven temperature to 350. wrap 2 layers of heavy duty foil around bottom and up sides of the springform pan. using an electric mixture, 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 cooled crust. place springform pan in a large roasting pan and fill roasting pan with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of springform pan. bake until filling is just set in the center but still moves slightly, about 55 minutes. remove cake from water bath and transfer to rack and cool completely, about 4 hours. cover and chill overnight.
for topping: stir sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. increase heat to medium and add cornstarch mixture and bring to simmer. add cranberries; cook until beginning to pop, stirring often, about 3 minutes. stir in orange peel and vanilla. cool completely. cover and chill.
(cheesecake and cranberry mixture can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated)
run knife around the top of the cheesecake to loosen. release pan sides. top cheesecake with cranberry mixture. chill until set. voila!