Recipe(tried): Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake

Hi Crystal,

Actually you can bake any cheesecake in a water bath. Here is one of my favorites. I made this one for Christmas last year.

CRANBERRY SWIRL CHEESECAKE WITH
CRANBERRY-RASPBERRY COMPOTE

Bright ribbons of cranberry puree swirled through a creamy white
cheesecake create a pretty contrast. Begin the cake a day ahead.

For cranberry pur e
2 cups fresh cranberries or frozen, thawed
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 teaspoons vanilla extract

For crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
2 3/4 cups finely ground butter biscuit cookies or butter cookies
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For filling
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Cranberry-Raspberry Compote

Make cranberry pur e:
Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy large saucepan. Cook over medium heat
until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to
processor. Add vanilla. Puree until smooth. Strain into medium bowl. Cover with plastic.
Refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Make crust:
Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Wrap
outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Blend cookies, sugar and cinnamon in
processor. Add butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and
up sides of pan. Chill crust while preparing filling.

Make filling:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 F. Using electric mixer, beat cream
cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream,
whipping cream and vanilla.

Transfer 1/3 of filling to prepared crust. Dollop 1/3 of cranberry puree atop filling. Repeat
layering of filling and puree 2 more times. Using knife, swirl puree through filling, creating
marbled design.

Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to
come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake puffs around edges, about
1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour, leaving oven door ajar.

Transfer cake to rack. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool completely. Remove
foil from pan sides. Cover cake and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep
refrigerated.)

Remove pan sides. Serve cake with Cranberry-Raspberry Compote.

Serves 12.


CRANBERRY-RASPBERRY COMPOTE

This recipe originally accompanied Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake with
Cranberry Raspberry Compote

Also good over ice cream or frozen yogurt.

1 12-ounce package frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
1 cup fresh cranberries or frozen, thawed
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy medium saucepan. Simmer over medium
heat until cranberries burst and mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature. Cover and
refrigerate until cold, at least 6 hours. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Makes about 2 cups.

Bon App tit
December 1998