Cranberry-Orange Cheesecake Recipe

I tried out a new recipe for cheesecake and I absolutely loved how it turned out! This cheesecake was so incredibly delicious. I made it for a dinner party with 6 guests, and everyone loved it. It's so perfect for upcoming holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, and makes for a beautiful presentation.

Crust

• 1 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies, crumbled
• 2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, grated
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• dash of cinnamon

Filling

• 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature (about 900g)
• 1 cup sugar (200g)
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 4 large eggs
• grated peel from 2 oranges
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 tablespoons orange liqueur (like Grand Manier) or brandy 

Topping

• 1/2 cup sugar (100g)
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
• 2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries (500-600g)
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
• 1-2 tablespoons Cranberry liqueur (optional)

For crust:
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Finely grind cookies and chocolate in processor. Add cinnamon, then butter; blend until moist clumps form. Using plastic wrap as aid, press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 1/4 inches up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Cool completely. 

For filling:
Increase oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light. Beat in flour. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until blended. Beat in orange peel, liqueur, and vanilla. 

Pour filling into crust. Bake the cheesecake in a waterbath, or slide a roasting tray of water underneath the cake form. Bake until filling is just set in center but still moves slightly, about 1 hour. Turn off oven, place wooden spoon into the oven door to allow the heat to escape slowly, and let the cheesecake cool fully. Then cover and chill overnight. 

For topping:
Stir sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium; add cornstarch mixture and bring to simmer. Add cranberries; cook until beginning to pop, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in orange peel and cranberry liqueur. Cool completely. Cover and chill overnight. (Cheesecake and cranberry topping can be made a day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Run knife around top edge of cheesecake to loosen. Release pan sides. Top cheesecake with cranberries and serve immediately.