Creamy Cheesecake with Cranberry Compote
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 18 whole crackers)
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
- Pinch fine salt
- Three 11.5-ounce containers whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- One 16-ounce container sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 3 cups frozen cranberries, thawed
- Special equipment: a 10-inch springform pan
- 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.
unsalted butter, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, three, sugar, sour cream, heavy cream, vanilla, eggs, sugar, cranberries, frozen cranberries
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/creamy-cheesecake-with-cranberry-compote.html (may not work)