Blood Orange Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 55 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 6 -7 graham crackers, crushed into crumbs (3/4 cup)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 (1 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup milk, plus
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 blood orange, grated zest of
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
• 1 blood orange, scrubbed
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 7 tablespoons freshly squeezed blood orange juice, strained (1 to 2 oranges)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350 degrees f.
• 2 fit a parchment circle into the bottom of a 7-inch springform pan.
• 3 crust:.
• 4 combine graham-cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar(from the 3/4 cup sugar) in a small bowl.
• 5 stir in melted butter with a fork until crumbs are moistened.
• 6 press into bottom of pan, and bake for 10 minutes.
• 7 cheesecake:.
• 8 place ricotta in a sieve lined with cheesecloth, place in refrigerator, and let the ricotta drain for several hours or overnight.
• 9 place lemon juice in a small bowl, and sprinkle gelatin over the surface. set aside for 10 minutes to soften.
• 10 in a small, heavy saucepan, beat egg yolks until smooth.
• 11 whisk in milk, gradually whisk in remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar.
• 12 add saltand cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 7 minutes.
• 13 do not allow to boil!
• 14 transfer to a bowl, and stir in softened gelatin, orange zest, and vanilla, mixing until gelatin is completely dissolved.
• 15 set custard aside.
• 16 place drained ricotta in the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth.
• 17 add cream cheese, and process again until smooth.
• 18 with machine running, add warm custard, and process just long enough to combine.
• 19 transfer to a bowl, and fold in whipped cream.
• 20 pour mixture into the prepared pan, cover, and chill overnight.
• 21 place a candied orange slice in center of cake. pour glaze over top, tipping cake pan to cover completely.
• 22 chill for 1 hour, or until glaze is set.
• 23 to unmold, wrap a hot towel around sides of pan to help release cake, and run a thin knife around the inside of the pan.
• 24 carefully remove outside of pan. slide onto a serving plate, and chill until ready to serve.
• 25 candied blood orange slices:.
• 26 cut orange into 1/8-inch slices and in a small saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, and syrup.
• 27 bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until clear and no crystals cling to sides of pan, about 3 minutes.
• 28 add orange slices in 1 layer; simmer until transparent, about 1 hour.
• 29 using a slotted spoon, transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• 30 blood orange glaze (makes enough for one 7-inch cake):.
• 31 in a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over 2 tablespoons of the juice; let stand until soft, about 10 minutes.
• 32 in a small saucepan, bring sugar and 4 tablespoons juice to a boil.
• 33 combine remaining tablespoon juice and cornstarch in a small bowl, stirring until dissolved; whisk into boiling orange juice.
• 34 remove from heat. stir in softened gelatin.
• 35 cool to lukewarm, and pour over cake.