Mascarpone Cheesecake With Blueberry Compote And Minty Whipped Lemonade Recipes

BLUEBERRY MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the middle. Butter a 9-by-2-inch round cake pan or a 9-inch springform pan and dust with sugar, tilting the pan to coat and discarding any excess.
• In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the mascarpone, cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla until smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl once. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour, scraping the bowl to make sure it is incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until the top of the cake is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cheesecake. If using a cake pan, invert a serving plate over the pan and reinvert the cheesecake on the plate. If using a springform pan, remove the sides and set the bottom on a serving plate. Let cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, mix the blueberries with the 2 tablespoons sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon zest. If using fresh berries, crush a few with the back of a spoon to encourage juices to form. (Taste the fruit; if it's too tart, add another teaspoon of sugar.)
• When ready to serve, dust the cheesecake with confectioners' sugar, if using, and spoon the blueberries over the cheesecake. Cut and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or creme fraiche, if you like.

MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan or 2 (12-count) mini cheesecake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil.
• Add the cookies in a large resealable bag. Cover the bag with a kitchen towel and crush with a rolling pin until the cookies are coarsely ground. In a medium bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs with the melted butter. Press the mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the prepared springform pan or mini cheesecake pans. Put on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before adding the cheesecake filling.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• In bowl of a food processor combine the cheeses with the sugar until mix until completely blended. Add the eggs, 1 at time, incorporating completely after each addition. Add a pinch of salt, the almond extract, and orange zest and blend for 10 seconds. Pour the filling into the prepared pan with crust. Put the springform pan into a roasting pan and pour in enough hot water to come 3/4 of the way up the sides the springform pan. If using a springform pan bake for 1 hour, if using mini cheesecake pans bake until completely set, about 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and transfer the springform pan from the water bath to the counter and let cool completely before removing the cake from the pan. Slice and serve.