ORANGE HONEY CHEESECAKE

ORANGE HONEY CHEESECAKE

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup finely chopped Walnuts
2 Tbsp.
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 Tbsp. grated orange peel

• Preheat oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch spring-form pan (or to 300°F if using a dark nonstick spring-form pan).
• Mix cracker crumbs, walnuts, 2 Tbsp. sugar, the butter and cinnamon; press firmly onto bottom of pan.
• Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, the honey, flour and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.
• Stir in orange peel; pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes or until center is almost set.
• Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan.
• Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.
• Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.
  

After adding the eggs, be careful not to over-beat the batter since this can cause the baked cheesecake to crack.

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.

OREO CHEESECAKE

OREO CHEESECAKE

2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs (about 20 cookies)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 lbs. cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
1/3-cup pareve (non-dairy) whip (or whipping cream)
2 tablespoons flour
1-teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups coarsely crumbled Oreos
1 lb. sour cream¼ cup sugar
1-teaspoon vanilla
1/3-cup pareve [non-dairy] whip (or whipping cream)
1-1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Combine first 3 ingredients and press mixture in bottom and up sides of a 10-inch spring-form pan.
• Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.
• Beat cream cheese until creamy.
• Gradually add 1-1/4 cups sugar, beating well.
• Add 1/3-cup pareve whip, flour and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• Mix well. Add eggs one at time, beating well after every addition.
• Pour 3-1/2 cups of this batter into prepared crust.
• Top with crumbled cookies.
• Pour remaining batter over cookies.
• Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Combine sour cream, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
• Spread over cheesecake.
• Bake for 7 more minutes.
• Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in with door close for 45 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
• Cover and chill 8 hours.
• Remove sides of pan.
• Combine 1/3-cup pareve whip with chocolate chips in a small saucepan.
• Stir over low heat until chocolate melts.
• Stir in teaspoon vanilla and remove from heat.
• Carefully spread mixture over cheesecake allowing it to drip down the sides.
• Chill.