Cheesecake with Orange Ginger Sauce
2 cups gingersnap crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1/4 cup butter, melted
Filling
4 250 g pkgs cream cheese at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1/2 cup whipping cream
Candied orange slices
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
3 small oranges (unpeeled), sliced thin
Orange sauce
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups fresh orange juice
2 to 3 tablespoon finely chopped crystallized ginger
Crust:
Combine crumbs, sugar, zest and melted butter. Spread on bottom and up sides of 10-inch springform pan. >bake at 350 F for 10 minutes. Let cool on rack.
Filling:
In large bowl, beat together creamcheese, sugar, zest and vanilla
on low speed of mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until just mixed. Beat in whipping cream until just blended. Do not over mix. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 275 F for 1 1/2 hours. Turn the oven off and run a knife around edge of cheese cake; leave cheese cake in oven for 30 minutes. Place on rack to cool to room temperature. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Candied
In a small sacepan, combine sugar and water. Place over medium low heat until sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil; boil for 2 minutes. Add orange slices and boil gently for 15 to 20 minutes or until fruit is translucent, stirring frequently and gently presssing orange slices under syrup. Drain and place slices, in single layer, on rackcovered with wax paper. Letcool. (Orange slices can be made a day ahead, sealed tightly in plastic wrap and left at room temperature.)
Orange Sauce:
In small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in orange juice and ginger. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil,
stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool.
(Sauce can be made a day ahead, covered tightly and refrigerated.)
To serve, remove sides from cheese cake. Overlap orange slices around outer edges of cheesecake. Top each peice of cheesecake with orange sauce.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.