Cranberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 10 grahams crackers
• 5 tablespoons butter , melted
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 0.13 teaspoons salt
• 2 packages cream cheese , 8 ounce
• 0.75 cups white sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 0.25 cups sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 orange , zested

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.

2. 2

   To make the crust: Crush cookies into crumbs using a food processor. Stir crumbs, butter, confectioners' sugar, and salt together until combined; press into the bottom of prepared pan. Rinse food processor and set aside for the cranberry glaze.

3. 3

   Bake crust in the preheated oven until firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove crust from the oven and reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Let crust cool while making the filling.

4. 4

   To make the cheesecake filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix until well combined, stopping to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Spoon batter over the crust.

5. 5

   Bake until filling is set but still soft in the center, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool cheesecake to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

6. 6

   While cheesecake is cooling, combine 1/3 cup sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a bowl and cool for 10 minutes. Add cranberries and stir to coat with syrup.

7. 7

   Refrigerate cheesecake and syrup-coated cranberries, 8 hours to overnight.

8. 8

   Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Drain syrup-coated cranberries, then roll them in sugar. Place sugared cranberries on the prepared baking sheet and allow to dry, 30 minutes to 1 hour.

9. 9

   Meanwhile, make the glaze: Combine cranberries, water, and sugar in a small saucepan. Simmer, crushing cranberries, until they reach a jam-like consistency, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer to the food processor; add confectioners' sugar, orange juice, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt. Process until smooth.

10. 10

    Strain cranberry glaze through a fine-mesh sieve and discard solids. Pour over the cheesecake and smooth across the top with a small offset spatula. Garnish with sugared cranberries.