The best cranberry cheesecake
Recipe & Food Styling Mari Loewen, Photography Ross Cornish
A New York-style cheesecake–and for anyone who has ever eaten cheesecake in New York, it needs no further introduction–Beautiful, rich, tart and sweet. This will become your go-to cheesecake.
Ingredients
Crust
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham wafer crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
Cheesecake batter
16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup 35% whipping cream
2/3 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
Cranberry compote
2 cups cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
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Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 9-inch spring form pan with cooking spray.
For crust, in glass bowl, melt butter in microwave, add crumbs and sugar; mix by hand until moist and crumbly. Press against bottom and sides of spring form pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside and Cool.
For compote, in small pot over medium heat, simmer berries in water until tender, about 10 minutes. Add sugar and simmer another 5 minutes. Mix cornstarch with enough water to form paste; add to berry mixture and continue stirring until thickened and smooth.
For cheesecake, reduce oven to 325°F. Place cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl of electric mixer and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time. Beat well. Add cream, vanilla, lemon zest, and juice.
In separate bowl, sift flour and salt; add to cream cheese mixture and beat until free of lumps. In separate bowl, beat egg whites to soft-peak stage. Add 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into cream cheese mixture. Pour batter into prepared crust and bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until set. The mixture will jiggle slightly when removed from the oven but will set as it cools. Cool to room temperature, pour compote over top and chill for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
