Brandied Cranberry Sour Cream Cheesecake

By: Anna Olson

“Decadent” may be a word overused for desserts, but it is apropos here. This is a cheesecake fanatic’s dream come true. A truly creamy cheesecake filling rests in a chocolate crust, while the brandied cranberry topping sits atop in the style of cherry cheesecake.

Crust

3½ cups (875 mL) chocolate cookie crumbs

2 tbsp (25 mL) sugar

½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon

½ tsp (2 mL) salt

⅔ cup (150 mL) unsalted butter, melted

Cranberry Topping

One 340 g bag fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup (250 mL) sugar

⅔ cup (150 mL) water

½ tsp (2 mL) ground cinnamon

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

3 tbsp (45 mL) brandy

Cheesecake

Three 225 g pkgs cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup (250 mL) sugar

3 tbsp (45 mL) cornstarch

1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla extract

3 large eggs, room temperature

Sour Cream Layer

2 cups (500 mL) sour cream (not low-fat)

⅓ cup (75 mL) sugar

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and lightly grease a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan.

2. To make crust, stir all ingredients until evenly blended and crumbly. Press crust into bottom and to the top of the sides of prepared springform pan. Place pan on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Cool while preparing other ingredients.

3. To make cranberry topping, simmer all ingredients over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most cranberries “pop,” about 20 minutes. Cool cranberries, then chill completely.

4. To make cheesecake, reduce oven to 325ºF (160ºC).

5. Beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, then gradually add sugar while beating, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Beat in cornstarch and vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, scraping well after each addition. Scrape cheesecake filling into cooled shell (it will fill shell only halfway) and bake for 30 minutes. While baking, prepare sour cream layer.

6. Stir sour cream, sugar and vanilla to blend. After cheesecake has baked 30 minutes, remove carefully and gently dollop sour cream layer over cheesecake. Spread to level and return to oven for 30 minutes more. Cool cheesecake to room temperature, then chill overnight before garnishing.

7. To garnish, spread cranberries overtop of chilled cheesecake and chill until ready to slice.

Makes one 9-inch (23-cm) cheesecake. Serves 12 to 16

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Bittersweet Chocolate Wafers

By: Marilyn Bentz-Crowley

These crunchy cookies are not overly sweet and have a deep chocolate taste. Serve with our chocolate mascarpone cheese ball. These crisp wafers are also delicious munched alongside a cup of coffee.

1½ cups (375 mL) all-purpose flour
⅔ cup (150 mL) Dutch-process cocoa (unsweetened)
¾ tsp (4 mL) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 mL) baking soda
¾ cup (175 mL) salted butter (or 1½ sticks), softened
1 cup (250 mL) granulated sugar
2 egg whites
1½ tsp (7 mL) pure vanilla extract
2 oz (60 g) unsweetened or bittersweet chocolate, melted

1. Sift flour well with cocoa, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg whites until somewhat fluffy. Add vanilla and melted chocolate; beat until mixture resembles a chocolate butter-cream icing.

2. Stir flour mixture into creamed butter until dough forms. On a long sheet of waxed paper, drop into a log about 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter. Use waxed paper to form into a smooth log; wrap, twist ends and refrigerate for at least an hour or until dough is firm.

3. Arrange oven racks at centre; preheat to 350ºF (180ºC). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap dough; slice dough a scant ¼ inch (5 mm) thick. Lay rounds about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on parchment paper. Bake 14 to 15 minutes or until firm to touch.

4. Slide parchment onto cooling rack. When able to handle, lift warm cookies off paper; finish cooling on rack. Store airtight. Cookies keep well for at least a week; freeze for longer storage.

Makes 30 to 36 cookies

 

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Bittersweet Chocolate Panna Cotta with Raspberry and Port Sauce

By: Karen Jull

The name of this classic Italian dessert simply means "cooked cream." Port wine and balsamic vinegar add complexity to the raspberry sauce. A good quality imported bittersweet chocolate with a minimum of 70 percent cocoa is preferred. Take the panna cotta out of the mold just before dinner to allow it to come to room temperature to maximize flavour. The dessert can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Panna Cotta
1 tbsp (5 mL) vegetable oil
2 cups (500 mL) whole milk
2 tbsp (25 mL) unflavored powdered gelatin
2 cups (500 mL) whipping cream
½ cup (125 mL) sugar
8 oz (250 g) bittersweet chocolate, grated
2 tsp (10 mL) pure vanilla extract


Raspberry Port Sauce
¾ cup (175 mL) ruby port
½ cup (125 mL) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (25 mL) aged balsamic vinegar
2 cups (500 mL) raspberries

1. Oil six 1-cup (250-mL) ramekins or glass custard cups.

2. Pour milk into medium bowl. Whisk in gelatin until dissolved, about 1 minute.

3. Whisk cream and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes just to a boil. Remove from heat.

4. Add chocolate and vanilla, and whisk until melted. Whisk warm chocolate mixture into gelatin mixture until homogeneous.

5. Divide mixture among custard cups. Cover and chill for 2 hours or until set.

6. For sauce, combine port, sugar and aged balsamic vinegar together in a skillet and bring to a boil. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes or until ½ cup (125 mL) sauce remains.

7. Remove from heat and gently stir in raspberries. Cool to room temperature.

8. To de-mold, panna cotta, pour enough hot water into a larger dish to come halfway up sides of cups. Let stand 1½ minutes. Take custard cups out of water; wipe bottoms dry. Invert each onto plate, shaking gently to dislodge panna cotta onto individual servings plates.Spoon sauce over panna cottas. Garnish with fresh mint.

Serves 6

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