topping

Hello, gorgeous!

Seriously, is there anything more elegant than white chocolate?  Or cheesecake?  And how about a shout out to the cranberry?  It’s not just meant to be a weird jellied canned sauce to be deposited in a bowl keeping its shape with the can lines on the sides.  The cranberry should be properly celebrated.  Who’s with me?  Nobody puts cranberry in the corner!

Yeah.  Sorry for that.  Moving on.  We all know by now that I’m ridiculous and that my cheesecakes are kind of a lot.  But it’s a HOLIDAY!  I feel like I have a license to be over the top.

I also know that I’ve bored you with vegetables and a frittata, so I truly feel like you totally deserve something sexy and decadent.

Enjoy this White Chocolate Cheesecake with Cranberry Topping…

Because you have a lot of work to do next week!  Have a fantastic weekend, y’all!

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White Chocolate Cheesecake with Cranberry Topping

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 stick butter melted

For the Cheesecake

• 5 8 ounce blocks cream cheese softened
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• splash of heavy cream
• White chocolate bar for shavings garnish if desired
• 6 eggs room temperature

For the Cranberry Topping

• 1 12 ounce bag fresh cranberries
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon honey
• zest and juice of 1 tangerine
• 1/4 cup sugar

Additional Items

• Heavy duty aluminum foil
• Spring form pan
• Roasting pan
• Large measuring cup or teapot to pour boiling water

Instructions

For the Crust

1. Wrap the spring form pan tightly with heavy duty aluminum foil - I used 2 overlapping large pieces and a leak proof spring form pan
2. Stir sugar and graham crumbs together, add melted butter, stir to combine
3. Press graham mixture on the bottom and up the sides of a spring form pan
4. Set aside

For the Cheesecake

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on low until smooth and fluffy, 2-3 minutes
2. Melt white chocolate chips according to package directions - I did this in the microwave with a splash of heavy cream to thin it out in 30 second intervals, stirring in between
3. Sift flour and sugar together
4. Slowly add flour/sugar mixture to the cream cheese a little at a time, still beating on low
5. Add vanilla bean paste
6. Add melted white chocolate
7. Scrape down sides as necessary
8. Add eggs, one at a time, making sure that each is incorporated before adding the next
9. Turn off mixer, remove bowl from stand, tap bowl on counter several times to get the air bubbles out, set aside for 20-30 minutes
10. Preheat oven to 350
11. Prepare about 6-8 cups boiling water - depends on the size of your roasting pan
12. Pour cheesecake batter into the prepared spring form pan and set the spring form pan into the roasting pan
13. Transfer the roasting pan onto the oven rack and carefully and slowly pour boiling water in the roasting pan until halfway up the side of the spring form
14. Bake for 45 minutes
15. Reduce oven temperature to 325 and bake an additional 60 minutes
16. Turn off oven, open door halfway, and leave cheesecake in the oven for another 30 minutes
17. Remove from oven and cool completely
18. Refrigerate uncovered overnight

For the Cranberry Topping

1. Combine all ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes, until thick and bubbly
2. Refrigerate overnight

To Serve

1. If using white chocolate garnish, chill white chocolate bar in the refrigerator or freezer, then shave with a vegetable peeler onto a plate and put back in freezer until ready to use
2. Transfer cheesecake to a platter or cake plate, top with cranberries, then shaved white chocolate

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