Blood Orange Cheesecake
- Ready In:
- 1hr 55mins
- Ingredients:
- 22
- Serves:
-
8-10
ingredients
-
CRUST
- 6 -7 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs (3/4 cup)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
-
Cheesecake
- 2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
- 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 (1 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1⁄2 cup milk, plus
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 1⁄2 blood orange, grated zest of
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1⁄2 cup heavy cream, whipped
-
Candied Blood Orange Slices(optional)
- 1 blood orange, scrubbed
- 3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
-
Blood Orange Glaze(optional)
- 3⁄4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 7 tablespoons freshly squeezed blood orange juice, strained (1 to 2 oranges)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1⁄4 teaspoon cornstarch
directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Fit a parchment circle into the bottom of a 7-inch springform pan.
- CRUST:.
- Combine graham-cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar(from the 3/4 cup sugar) in a small bowl.
- Stir in melted butter with a fork until crumbs are moistened.
- Press into bottom of pan, and bake for 10 minutes.
- CHEESECAKE:.
- Place ricotta in a sieve lined with cheesecloth, place in refrigerator, and let the ricotta drain for several hours or overnight.
- Place lemon juice in a small bowl, and sprinkle gelatin over the surface. Set aside for 10 minutes to soften.
- In a small, heavy saucepan, beat egg yolks until smooth.
- Whisk in milk, gradually whisk in remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar.
- Add saltand cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes.
- DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL!
- Transfer to a bowl, and stir in softened gelatin, orange zest, and vanilla, mixing until gelatin is completely dissolved.
- Set custard aside.
- Place drained ricotta in the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth.
- Add cream cheese, and process again until smooth.
- With machine running, add warm custard, and process just long enough to combine.
- Transfer to a bowl, and fold in whipped cream.
- Pour mixture into the prepared pan, cover, and chill overnight.
- Place a candied orange slice in center of cake. Pour glaze over top, tipping cake pan to cover completely.
- Chill for 1 hour, or until glaze is set.
- To unmold, wrap a hot towel around sides of pan to help release cake, and run a thin knife around the inside of the pan.
- Carefully remove outside of pan. Slide onto a serving plate, and chill until ready to serve.
- CANDIED BLOOD ORANGE SLICES:.
- Cut orange into 1/8-inch slices and in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, and syrup.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until clear and no crystals cling to sides of pan, about 3 minutes.
- Add orange slices in 1 layer; simmer until transparent, about 1 hour.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- BLOOD ORANGE GLAZE (Makes enough for one 7-inch cake):.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons of the juice; let stand until soft, about 10 minutes.
- In a small saucepan, bring sugar and 4 tablespoons juice to a boil.
- Combine remaining tablespoon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring until dissolved; whisk into boiling orange juice.
- Remove from heat. Stir in softened gelatin.
- Cool to lukewarm, and pour over cake.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
<p>Click to feed animals I'm a retired teacher now living in the Jamaica Plain area of Boston. I have one daughter, 2 granddaughters, and 1 great-grandson(17 yo Dec '11)! I've travelled a bit throughout Europe and the U.S. as well as Honduras and Costa Rica. I think I may have some gypsy ancestors! I love to travel but am not able to anymore. So I do a LOT of reading instead. My current craft passion is knittng but I have dabbled in just about everything. I've done leaded glass work(stained glass), which I love; am working on counted cross stitch; and am willing to try any craft, at least once! I've also worked for a major insurance company as a case analyst. I have 2 cats, Teddy BB 11 .o. on the 19th of Feb, and CiCi who will be 5 years old on Mar 6th. src=http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b399/susied214/orn.jpg></p>