Holiday season is upon us and though this year's festivities may look different than previous years, one thing remains the same, the desire to gather with family and friends (in your COVID bubble or remotely) and enjoy some amazing and decadent treats.
I have for you this month, what may be my crowing baking achievement, a cranberry white chocolate mousse cheesecake worthy of a magazine cover — and I promise that everyone from novice to expert can pull this together.
Layers of homemade cranberry jam, vanilla cheesecake, decadent white chocolate mousse and a crown of candied cranberries this sweet-tart masterpiece one that you'll want to make a new tradition.
Don't let the recipe intimidate you. The ingredient list is extensive, and it's not a quick prep but the steps are simple and easy to follow even if you've never attempted a cheesecake.
A word of advice, read the recipe through several times before getting started. This rule always applies to baking, but you especially want to have a thorough understanding of the steps in order for the preparation to go smoothly. Also, make sure to allow your dairy to come to room temperature. Failure to do so will keep the cream cheese from blending smoothly with the other ingredients.
Both of my kids, who normally are my taste testers, apparently don't like white chocolate or cheesecake or cranberries in things, so they and their terrible opinions were excluded from this trial. Instead, I shared with a few of my girlfriends to get their thoughts on the recipe.
The concensus? The cheesecake istself is amazing (but the candied cranberries get a mixed reaction, with some of us opining that they're better as a decorative accent so make sure you like them before you commit.) Four out of four recommend,
Give this one a try-if you do, we'd love to see a pic of this on your holiday table this year.
recipe courtesy of Will Cook for Smiles Ingredients
Cranberry Jam: 16ozfresh cranberries 1cupwhite granulated sugar 1/2Tbspvanilla extract
Crust: 1½cupsgraham cracker crumbs ¼cupbrown sugar 5Tbspbuttermelted 1tspvanilla extract
Cheesecake Filling: 24ozcream cheesesoftened ¾cupheavy whipping cream 2Tbspsour cream 2eggs 1tspvanilla extract 2Tbspcorn starch ½cupwhite granulated sugar 1vanilla bean
White Chocolate Mousse: 8ozbaking white chocolate bars(2-4 oz bars) 8ozcream cheesesoftened 8ozwhipped topping like COOL Whip
Candied Cranberries: (Optional) 8ozfresh cranberries 1 1/2cupswater 1 1/2cupssugar 1/2cupsugaror super fine sugar
Instructions
Candied Cranberries (overnight):
Combine water and 1 1/2 cups of sugar in a sauce pot, over medium heat. Heat the mixture until sugar is all dissolved, while stirring slowly. Take off heat.
Let the mixture cool a bit before adding cranberries. Add cranberries, stir, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Drain cranberries in a colander.
Add 1/2 cup of sugar to a shallow bowl and coat cranberries is sugar. Set aside until ready to decorate.
Quick Cranberry Jam:
In a sauce pot, over medium heat, combine cranberries, sugar and vanilla extract. Mix well cook cranberries stirring often. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Take off heat and let it cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and grease a 9 inch springform pan. You will need a large roasting pan that’s bigger and longer than the springform pan. (I use the aluminum foil disposable ones). If you are not sure about your springform holding up in water, you can wrap the outside of the springform pan in heavy duty aluminum foil from bottom up to the sides. (I recommend wrapping the outside of the springform in foil before adding the crust and cheesecake batter.)
Crust:
Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir very well, until all incorporated. Press graham cracker mixture into the pan, evenly, all over the bottom and about half way up the side.
Spread half of the cranberry jam over the crust.
Cheesecake:
Start beating cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Add vanilla extract, and sour cream. Mix until combined.
Add eggs, one at the time, beating after each addition. Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and beat until all incorporated.
Lower speed and add corn starch. While on medium-low speed, pour in heavy cream. Mix until all combined, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again until smooth.
Cut vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds into the cheesecake batter. Mix well until incorporated throughout.
Spoon all of the cheesecake batter into the springform, over the jam.
Place roasting pan into the oven and place the cheesecake springform pan inside the roasting pan. Carefully add water to the roasting pan, about half way up the side of the springform.
Bake for 70-75 minutes. Turn off the oven and open the oven door half way. Let cheesecake rest for about 10 minutes and take it out of the oven (out of the roasting pan and carefully take off the foil).
Let it rest for 20 minutes on the counter and then gently run a greased butter knife between sides of the cheesecakes and the springform to carefully separate it. (You don't actually have to take the cheesecake out of the pan until ready to add topping.)
Cool cheesecake for an hour.
Spread remaining cranberry jam over the top of the cheesecake. Cover the pan with saran wrap and place the cheesecake in the refrigerator. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before adding the mousse.
White Chocolate Mousse:
Break up white chocolate bars and melt them according the to package instructions.
Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes.
Drizzle in melted white chocolate while continuing to beat cream cheese. Mix well.
Fold in whipped topping gently until all combined.
Spread white chocolate mousse over the top of the cheesecake. You can separate the mousse in two batches and use one batch to decorate with a frosting tip.
If using candied cranberries, spread them on top of the white chocolate mousse.