Things You'll Need:
- 9-inch springform pan
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tbs. cornstarch
- 1 1/2 cups cranberries
- 1 cup orange juice
- Blender
- 2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
- 1 8 oz. carton sour cream
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tbs. flour
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 tsp. finely grated orange peel
- 1 tbs. orange juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla
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Step 1
Prepare the crust. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, beat butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Add flour and pecans just until combined. Press onto bottom and up sides of pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
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Step 2
Make the cranberry sauce. Combine 1 cup sugar, the cranberries and 3/4 cup of orange juice. Cook in a pan and stir until cranberries soften and begin to pop. Combine 1/4 cup orange juice and cornstarch in measuring cup, stirring until smooth. Add to cooking cranberries and stir until it thickens and is bubbly. Set aside half of the sauce and allow to cool, and then place in a blender and puree until smooth. Cover and chill the remainder.
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Step 3
Combine in a large bowl the cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup of sugar and 2 tbs. of flour. Beat on low until smooth. Add eggs and stir until combined. Add whipping cream, orange juice and peel and vanilla and stir until combined. Pour half the mixture into prepared crust. Drizzle the pureed cranberry sauce over the filling, and then pour the remaining filling over the top. With a butter knife, gently cut through the filling so that the cranberry sauce swirls, but does not show through from the top of the cheesecake.
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Step 4
Place pan on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour or until the center appears set when jiggled. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes before running a butter knife around the sides of the pan to loosen the crust. Allow to cool for another 30 minutes before you release the sides of the springform pan. Cover and chill at least 6 hours before serving. Spoon 1 tsp. of set aside sauce on the top of each slice to decorate.
