Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Cheesecake with Cranberry Haroset

I found this recipe while looking for Haroset recipes. A wonderful sounding recipe, my son loves cranberries, this sounds like it would be a hit!

Goat Cheese and Pine Nut Cheesecake with Cranberry Haroset

CRUST
6 tablespoons matzo meal
¼ cup ground pine nuts
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
FILLING
1 tablespoon water
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
5 ounces goat cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 ½ teaspoons dried dill
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
About ½ cup cranberry haroset (see below)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 1 8 in spring form pan
• Combine all the crust ingredients in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon water, and mix thoroughly.
• Spoon 1 teaspoon of the crust mixture into pan press down firmly.
• Beat cream cheese and goat cheese together in an electric mixer on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
• Scrape the bowl and beat in the egg, dill, cumin, salt and pepper.
• Divide the cheese mixture evenly among the prepared cups, about 1 heaping tablespoon each, and smooth the tops.
• Bake on center oven rack until the cheesecake is rounded and puffy, about 30-45 minutes. Allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge if needed and carefully loosen pan.
• Garnish each slice with a dollop of cranberry haroset
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

For the Haroset:

1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
1 small pear, peeled, cored and finely chopped
½ cup sweetened dried cranberries
¼ cup pitted dates, chopped
¼ cup golden raisins
½ cup sweet red wine
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted and ground
¼ cup slivered almonds, toasted and ground

Combine the apple, pear, cranberries, dates, raisins, wine, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger in a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the fruits are very soft and the liquid is reduced, about 1 hour.
Cool mixture to room temperature. The mixture can be prepared a day or two ahead to this point and refrigerated. To serve, bring the mixture to room temperature and add pine nuts and almonds.