Cranberry Honey Walnut Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 and 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
Cheesecake filling
- 21 oz. Ithíka Acres Creamery Cranberry Honey Walnut chèvre
- 8 oz. package full fat cream cheese
- 16 oz. sour cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- seeds of 1 vanilla bean
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp. ground cardamom
- 5 large eggs
- 3 tbsp. corn starch
Garnish
- 1/2 cup liquid honey
- 1 cup fresh or dried cranberries
- Fresh mint leaves
Directions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bring 4 cups of water to a boil. The water will be used later to make a Bain-marie for your cake.
- Line the bottom of a 9″ springform pan with parchment paper. To line: remove the ring and cover the bottom with parchment paper. Fold the excess paper back under the plate and, while holding it in place with one hand, put the ring back in its position with the other hand. Bring the excess paper back from under the pan but do not cut it off.
- Combine the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined and press firmly at the bottom and about 3/4 of the way up the side of the prepared pan.
- Place the pan over a piece of aluminum foil and fold the foil over the pan so the exterior is completely covered; this will prevent water from getting into the pan. Now place this rig into a broil pan and set aside.
Cheesecake filling
- Combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar, honey, heavy cream, vanilla seeds, salt, ginger, and cardamom in the bowl of your food processor. Process until the mixture is super smooth and creamy and completely lump free, about 3 minutes. Stop the motor to scrape the sides once or twice to make sure every last bit gets incorporated.
- Add the eggs and cornstarch and resume processing until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Stop the motor, scrape the sides well and beat for 10 seconds.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the reserved crust, then delicately pour enough boiling water into the broil pan so it goes up about 3/4 of the way up the side of the broiler pan. Place that rig onto the middle rack of your oven and bake your cake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, decrease the temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit and continue baking your cake for a further 65 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden and the center appears set.
- Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Leave the cake in the oven, undisturbed, for about 1 hour, or until cool enough to be handled with your bare hands, and then slide it out of the oven.
- When the cheesecake is completely cooled, run a thin spatula or knife around the rim and refrigerate uncovered for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
Garnish
- When the cake is completely chilled, run a spatula or knife around the edge; carefully free it from the pan and place it on a cake plate or stand.
- Pour about 1/2 cup of liquid honey over the cake, let it spread for a few seconds (you can help it a little) and then garnish with the cranberries and mint leaves.
Serve chilled.