Cheesecake is essential for any special gathering. Sometimes I wonder why I bother with anything else. This is not a lower calorie dessert, but it’s the holidays. So, a small slice of really thick, rich cheesecake with fruit and nut crust is the ticket. Put a topping on it or a drizzle of chocolate, but plain is my favorite.
Cheesecake with Fruit and Nut Crust
Ingredients
- 1 cup craisins
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 4 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese (not reduced fat), at room temperature
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 TBSP vanilla
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°
- Grease a 9" springform pan. Place a large piece of heavy foil around the outside of the pan, so when you set it in the water bath, there's no possibility of leaking.
- With a food processor, completely combine craisins and almonds.
- Press this mixture evenly in the bottom of the springform pan.
- In the bowl of a mixer, beat together one pkg of the cream cheese with 1/2 cup of the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Beat on low until creamy about 3 min.
- Beat in remaining 3 pkgs of cream cheese.
- Add remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium to high speed.
- Then beat in vanilla.
- Then beat in eggs one at a time. Mix until just combined together.
- Add whipped cream, stirring in gently by hand.
- Spoon carefully on top of craisin/nut crust and even it out.
- Place springform pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1" up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake the cheesecake until the center barely jiggles, about 1 hour.
- Cool at least 1 hour on a rack.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours before removing the sides of the springform.
- Note: You can always change up the fruit and nuts for the crust, like pecans and dates.