Mexican Ricotta Cheesecakes With Apple And Cranberry Compote Recipes

HOLIDAY CRANBERRY AND APPLE COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine orange juice, apples, cranberries, white sugar, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until apples are tender and sauce has thickened slightly, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Transfer sauce to a dish; stir in softened butter and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours. Sauce will continue to thicken.

RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F with rack in lower third.
• Lightly butter pan and coat with cookie crumbs, leaving any loose crumbs distributed over bottom of pan.
• Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour into crust.
• Bake until puffed and golden but center is still slightly wobbly, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Cool in pan on a rack (cake will sink a little).
• Serve cheesecake warm or at room temperature.

SKINNY RICOTTA CHEESECAKE WITH APPLE TOPPER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
• In large mixing bowl, beat ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, honey, applesauce, and flour with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until smooth. Add egg yolks all at once. Beat on low speed just until combined. In a clean large mixing bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight). Fold about one-fourth of the egg whites into the ricotta mixture. Fold in remaining egg whites.
• Spoon filling into prepared pan, spreading evenly. Place in shallow baking pan. Bake 1 hour or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken.
• Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. (Cheesecake will crack.) Using a thin metal spatula, loosen cheesecake from side of pan; cool for 30 minutes more. Remove side of pan; cool completely. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. To serve, top sliced cheesecake with Apple Topper.*
• Apple Topper: Core and thinly slice 3 Jonagold or 4 McIntosh apples (about 6 cups). In a large skillet, toss apple slices with 1 teaspoon apple pie spice or ground cinnamon. Add 1/4 cup water; heat to boiling. Cover and cook over medium-high heat about 5 minutes or until apple slices are just tender, stirring occasionally. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons honey; toss gently to coat. Cool to room temperature.

RICOTTA CHEESECAKE WITH RASPBERRY AND CRANBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix together the biscuit crumbs, 40g of sugar and the butter until well combined, then press into the base of a well-greased no-leak spring-form pan. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
• Beat the cream cheese until no lumps remain, then add the ricotta and 200g sugar. If using an electric beater or food processor, do this at the lowest speed to avoid too much air being incorporated (which will make the cheesecake sink when removed from the oven!).
• Add 1 tbsp of corn flour and continue beating.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
• Beat in the zest of one lemon and the seeds from the vanilla pod. Add a little salt to taste.
• Remove the pan from the fridge and pour the filling on top of the crust.
• Place the pan in a large roasting tin and fill to halfway up the cheesecake pan with hot water. This will prevent burning and sticking during the baking.
• Bake at 180C for approximately 75minutes (check after 60), or until the top of the cake is golden and there is a slight wiggle in the centre when you shake the pan gently.
• Remove from the oven and water bath and allow to cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating for approx 6 hours, or until thoroughly cooled.
• For the sauce, combine raspberries, cranberries, 100g sugar, 1tbsp corn flour and the zest of a lemon in a large pan and cook over a medium heat until thickened. Taste and add more sugar for a sweeter sauce or more zest for a tangier sauce. Remember that it will taste a lot sweeter when hot than it does when it's served from the fridge.
• Allow to cool, then refrigerate.
• Serve the cheesecake drizzled with a little of the sauce.

CRANBERRY-APPLE COMPOTE

Steps:

• Whisk cider, corn syrup, and brown sugar in heavy large saucepan.
• Boil over high heat until reduced to one cup, about 15 minutes.
• Add 4 tablespoons butter; whisk until melted; remove from heat.
• Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in another pan, heavy saucepan or skillet, over medium heat; add apple slices, and saute 2 minutes.
• Add cranberries and 1/2 cup sugar; stir until cranberries begin to pop, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in reduced cider mixture; boil until reduced to syrup consistency, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in remaining sugar, if desired.
• Can be made a day ahead; cover and refrigerate.
• Stir over medium heat until warmed through.
• Serve warm.