Blood Orange Cheesecake

 

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Serves 8 to 10 2 cups fresh ricotta cheese 6 or 7 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs (3/4 cup) 3/4 cup granulatedsugar 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 envelope unflavored gelatin 4 large egg yolks 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk Pinch of salt Grated zest of 1/2 orange 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped 1 Candied Blood Orange Slice Blood Orange Glaze

The Directions

Ricotta cheese makes this lighter and less rich than a standard cheesecake.

Place ricotta in a sieve lined with cheesecloth, place in refrigerator, and let the ricotta drain for several hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Fit a parchment circle into the bottom of a 7-inch springform pan.

Make crust: Combine graham-cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons 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.

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 salt. 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.

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.

Source: E-Cookbooks.net

To help your cheesecake come out just right, check out these cheesecake baking tips.