Chestnut Cheesecake Recipes

CHESTNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Blend whole unblanched almonds, sugar and almond extract in processor until almonds are coarsely chopped. Add unsalted butter and process until almonds are finely chopped. Press almond mixture firmly onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 8-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 1/2-inch-high sides. Bake crust until light brown, about 13 minutes. Transfer crust in pan to rack and cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Drain chestnuts thoroughly. Cut enough chestnuts into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces to measure 1 cup (reserve remaining chestnuts for topping). Using electric mixer, beat room temperature cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in medium bowl until very smooth. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Cover bottom of crust with 1 cup chestnuts pieces. Spoon cream cheese mixture over. Place springform pan on baking sheet.
• Bake cheesecake on baking sheet until center is just set, about 45 minutes. Cool cheesecake 30 minutes. Chill uncovered until cold, about 3 hours, the cover. (Cheesecake can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Cut around sides of pan to loosen cheesecake; release pan sides. Beat whipping cream in medium bowl until firm peaks form. Spoon cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe rosettes of cream around to edge of cake. Place 1 reserved chestnut piece on each rosette.

ICED CHESTNUT RIPPLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the base, blitz the biscuits in a food processor or bash in a bag to make crumbs. Stir in the butter, then press into the base of a 22cm springform cake tin. Chill.
• For the praline, line a tray with baking parchment and lightly oil it. Tip the caster sugar into a frying pan and place over a high heat. Cook for 5 mins, without stirring, until dissolved and you have a dark amber caramel. Throw in the chestnut pieces, then quickly tip onto the baking parchment and leave to harden. Break or chop into small pieces and set aside.
• For the filling, blitz the chestnut purée in a food processor with the icing sugar and 1 tbsp of the rum. Set 3 tbsp of the mix aside. In a large bowl, whisk the cream with the caster sugar and vanilla until it holds its shape, then whisk in the soft cheese. Beat in the pieces of praline, then gently fold through the chestnut purée so that it ripples the cream. Spoon onto the biscuit base. Bang the cake tin gently on the work surface to level and smooth over the top. Cover with cling film and freeze for at least 12 hrs or up to 1 month.
• For the drizzle, mix the remaining rum with the reserved chestnut purée and enough water to make it just runny. If serving the cake within 2 days, chill the drizzle; if keeping for longer, freeze and defrost when needed.
• Put the cheesecake in the fridge to thaw a little 30 mins before serving. Using a sandwich bag with a corner tip cut off, pipe the drizzle over the top of the cake in a zig-zag pattern. Carefully remove from the tin and serve in small wedges - with a glass of rum if you fancy it.

CHESTNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and put the kettle on to boil.
• For the base, process the crackers, butter and heaped tablespoon chestnut purée until like fine crumbs. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and place in the fridge while you make the filling.
• Beat the cream cheese until smooth and add the sugar. Add the eggs and egg yolks, beating them in one by one until they are incorporated into the cream cheese and sugar. Pour in the sour cream, lime juice, vanilla extract and rum, and beat again until smooth and creamy. Finally fold in the sweetened chestnut purée. Don't worry about making a fully amalgamated mixture: smooth cream cheese with grainy streaks of chestnut is just fine.
• Line the outside of the springform pan containing the crumb base with a good wrapping of plastic wrap, so that the whole of the bottom and sides are enveloped in plastic. Do the same with aluminum foil, covering the layer of plastic wrap to make a very watertight casing. Stand the springform, thus covered, in a roasting pan and pour in the chestnut filling. Once that's done, pour water from a recently boiled kettle into the roasting pan to come just over an inch up the side of the pan (the plastic wrap will make it bob up and down a bit) and place in the oven to cook for an hour.
• When the cheesecake's ready it should be just set on top with a hint of wobble underneath; it certainly carries on cooking as it cools. Take the cheesecake out of the roasting pan, take off the foil and plastic wrap and let the cheesecake cool on a rack. Refrigerate overnight before unmolding and leaving it to get back to room temperature. If you need to unmold it long before you want to eat it (I often do just because I like to get all bothersome stuff out of the way before people arrive) then just sit it on its serving plate in the fridge until about 20-30 minutes before you want to eat it. I'd take it out as you sit down to dinner or lunch or whatever.
• You can make the syrup in advance but do not pour over until the actual point of serving.
• You just put all of the syrup ingredients into a saucepan and melt together. Let the syrup boil for 10 minutes, then cool to just warmish (or even room temperature) before criss-crossing the top of the cheesecake with it.

CHESTNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Combine the crackers, butter and heaped tablespoon chestnut purée in a food processor and pulse fine and crumbly. Press into the bottom of a 9-in springform pan and refrigerate until needed.
• Beat the cream cheese until smooth and add the sugar. Blend in the eggs and egg yolks, one by one to combine completely. Add the sour cream, lime juice, rum, and vanilla, and beat again until smooth and creamy. Fold in the 1 cup chestnut purée by hand. It doesn't have to be fully incorporated, because it will give it a swirl or streak effect.
• Boil some water and keep it ready.
• Wrap the whole outside of the springform pan with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil, covering the plastic wrap to make the pan watertight. Stand the pan in a roasting pan and pour in the chestnut filling. Once that's done, pour the boiled water into the roasting pan to come just over an inch up the side of the pan. Bake 1 hour.
• The cheesecake should be just set because it will continue cooking in the pan outside of the oven. Take the springform pan out of the roasting pan and the foil and plastic wrap and cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate overnight.
• Unmold it and let it come to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. (You can unmold it and return it to the refrigerator, just remember to bring it back to room temp in time.).
• Combine the remaining ingredients (water, rum, chestnut puree, sugar, and butter) in a saucepan and melt together. Let the syrup boil 10 minutes, then cool to room temperature until ready to use.
• To serve, drizzle room temperature or slightly warmed syrup over cheesecake.

CHESTNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• CRUST:.
• Combine graham crumbs and butter in small bowl, Press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch nonstick springform pan. Bake in preheated 400F oven for 7 minutes. Reduce heat to 275°F.
• FILLING:.
• Beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add flour and mix well. On low speed, add remaining ingredients in order, mixing after each addition, just until blended.
• Assemble and bake. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in oven until center is almost set about 50-60 mintues. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Chill 4 hours or overnight.
• CHESTNUT SAUCE:
• Stir all topping ingredients together. Thin with additional water if needed. Keep refrigerated. Before serving, bring topping to room temperature or heat gently in mocrowave just until warm (not boiling).
• TO SERVE:.
• Top chestnut cheesecake slices with dollops of whipped cream and chopped fresh berries. Drizzle with Chestnut sauce.
• *Sweetened Chestnut puree is sold in cans , often in the baking section, or the specialty foods section.