Merry, merry!!
It's a special day! It's an "eve." I thought I'd do another giveaway to celebrate the launch of my next book, coming out in a month. A giveaway is perfect for the holidays, right?
What's the upcoming book? AS GOUDA AS DEAD The 6th in the Cheese Shop Mysteries. What am I giving away? A Mystery Lovers Kitchen tote bag plus your choice of one of my books from either series. See details below...
* * *
We just finished our holiday week of goodies! But that shouldn't stop us from continuing to provide you with deliciousness that you can put out on Christmas Day.
If you already have all your shopping and cooking done (good for you!!!), you can always make this for New Year's!
Many of you know I love cheesecake. I've shared many over the years. This one, in a Food Network Magazine, caught my eye because of the cranberry compote. I thought, hmm, interesting. Tart with sweet. It's got to work, right? Well, it does, and the compote is so delicious that you can serve it as a side dish with turkey! In fact, I made the compote for Thanksgiving, and my husband, who has been a die-hard cranberry from the can guy, fell in love with it and won't return to the canned kind! Yay, another convert!
If you already have all your shopping and cooking done (good for you!!!), you can always make this for New Year's!
Many of you know I love cheesecake. I've shared many over the years. This one, in a Food Network Magazine, caught my eye because of the cranberry compote. I thought, hmm, interesting. Tart with sweet. It's got to work, right? Well, it does, and the compote is so delicious that you can serve it as a side dish with turkey! In fact, I made the compote for Thanksgiving, and my husband, who has been a die-hard cranberry from the can guy, fell in love with it and won't return to the canned kind! Yay, another convert!
So here you go. A delicious and beautiful cake, perfect for any time of the year.
Note: I tweaked the temperature in the directions because, honestly, the cake came out a little browner than I like a cheesecake. It didn't change the flavor. It just required a lot more whipped cream to make the cake match the cranberry compote! LOL
Note: I tweaked the temperature in the directions because, honestly, the cake came out a little browner than I like a cheesecake. It didn't change the flavor. It just required a lot more whipped cream to make the cake match the cranberry compote! LOL
From Food Network Magazine
Cranberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
(tweaked slightly on temperature)
For
the crust:
12-18 half graham crackers,
finely crushed (about 2 cups crumbs) (*USE 12 large gluten-free sugar cookies,
if necessary)
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of salt
5 tablespoons unsalted
butter, melted and slightly cooled
For
the filling:
4 ounces white chocolate,
chopped, plus shaved chocolate for topping
4 8-ounce packages cream
cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons
sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
For
the compote:
1 12-ounce bag fresh
cranberries (thawed and drained, if frozen)
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange
juice
3/4 cup water
Whipped cream
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven: First set
racks in the lower third and middle of the oven, then preheat to 300 degrees F.
Make
the crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, nutmeg and salt in a
bowl. Add the melted butter and mix with your hands until combined. Press into
the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan, which has been
lined with parchment paper. Freeze until ready to fill.
Make
the filling: Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a small pot; remove from the
heat. Put the white chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl and set over the pot
(do not let the bowl touch the water); stir until melted, about 4 minutes.
Remove the bowl from the pot and set aside.
Beat the cream cheese, sour
cream and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light
and fluffy, about 7 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add the
cornstarch and beat 2 minutes. Beat in the melted white chocolate, vanilla and
salt until combined.
Fill a roasting pan halfway
with water and set on the lower oven rack. Pour the filling into the prepared
crust and set on the middle oven rack. Bake until the edge is set but the
center still jiggles slightly, 1 hour, 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and let
the cheesecake sit in the oven, 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool
completely. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
![]() |
See how it's a little too brown? I checked my go-to recipe and realized the Food Network recipe had the temp too high, IMHO. |
Make
the compote: Spread the cranberries on a rimmed baking sheet, pick them over
and pull out any that are spoiled. Then sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar and set
aside until they release some of their juices, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, combine the
remaining 2/3 cup sugar, the orange zest and juice, and 3/4 cup water in a
medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat to medium low
and simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.
Drain the cranberries (if
necessary - it wasn't for me...in fact I had sugar left over and I did NOT add it to the mix)
...and add them to the saucepan. Cook, stirring, until they begin to burst, about 7 minutes. Transfer the compote to a bowl and refrigerate until completely cool.
![]() |
Left-over sugar; do not add |
...and add them to the saucepan. Cook, stirring, until they begin to burst, about 7 minutes. Transfer the compote to a bowl and refrigerate until completely cool.
Before serving, run a knife
around the edge of the cheesecake, then remove the springform ring. Top with
the cranberry compote and shaved white chocolate, AND WHIPPED CREAM IF DESIRED.
To make shaved chocolate, use a
vegetable peeler to trim curls from a bar of white chocolate.
AND NOW FOR THAT GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment. Tell me what your favorite holiday dessert is! One lucky winner will get a Mystery Lovers Kitchen tote plus your choice of one of my books from either series.
Remember, leave your email so I can reach you if you win. If you don't feel like leaving an entire email, you can type a cryptic email, and I'll try to figure it out. I am a mystery writer, after all. I will not use your email for any other purpose other than to contact the winner. I'll pick a name tomorrow morning. The winner will have 48 hours to contact me or else I'll pick another winner.
Good luck!
Savor the mystery!

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The cheesecake looks so yummy! My favorite holiday desserts are anything with chocolate (though right now it is the gluten free chocolate cookies with chocolate chips and walnuts).
ReplyDeletemyrifraf(at)gmail(dot)com
Merry Christmas!
Jen, I'm going to attempt a gluten-free yule log today. Wish me luck!
DeleteMerry, merry!
Daryl / Avery
Love anything with cranberries and that cheesecake looks delish! Can't pick only one favorite holiday dessert. (OK, I'm a Gemini, what can I say?) I love almost ALL cookies, (esp. with nuts) cakes & pies, and especially Christmas Trifles. Yum. Happiest of Holidays to you!
ReplyDeletelola777-22 (at) hotmail (dot) com
Lynn, is it a gemini thing? I love sugar, too, and I'm a gemini.
DeleteMerry, merry!
Daryl / Avery
My favorite holiday treats are pumpkin pie with whipped cream and I also like eggnog. However, that cheesecake looks awesome.
ReplyDeletekaye.killgore@comcast.net
Kaye, I used to make fresh eggnog until eggs got a bad rap. I'm sure the brandy would kill anything, but I don't take the risk any more. I do like an occasional eggnog in the carton. :)
DeleteMerry, merry!
Daryl / Avery
And Merry Christmas
ReplyDeleteMy favorite holiday dessert is White Chocolate Gingerbread Blondies. EMS591@aol.com
ReplyDeleteLiz...
DeleteOh, yum. Those sound delicious! I adore gingerbread.
Merry, merry!
Daryl / Avery
Mine is a Danish Christmas dessert called Ris a'lamande. It is a rice pudding lightened with lightly sweetened whipped cream, almond slivers mixed in and served topped with Cherries in Cherry Heering (boozy cherry compote). There is a whole blanched almond in the dessert. The person who finds it in their serving wins a small prize/present.
ReplyDeleteMy husband would adore this!!! :)
DeleteMerry, merry!
Daryl / Avery
Oops, forgot...little lamb lst at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteThis might be my new favorite dessert - anything cranberry has to get a vote. It's hard to pick just one thing, but by Christmas I've had just about enough pies. Apple slices are a favorite, though, and fudge, and fancy cookies, and . . . sigh.
ReplyDeletesallycootie@gmail.com
GC, what fun. Your new favorite. I like that. :)
DeleteMerry, merry!
Daryl / Avery
I love pecan pie for the holidays.
ReplyDeletejslbrown2009(at)aol(dot)com
I haven't had pecan pie in ages. I remember liking it the last time I had it. Enjoy.
DeleteMerry, merry!
Daryl / Avery
Butterscotch cheese cake from this site. suefoster109@netzero.net
ReplyDeleteSue, yum! I like butterscotch as much as I like gingerbread and chocolate and... :) Is it my butterscotch cheese cake recipe? Glad you find things that we share. That's our purpose.
DeleteMerry, merry!
Daryl / Avery
I love chocolate crinkle cookies. jenniferbyerschambers at yahoo dot com
ReplyDeleteJennifer, crinkle cookies sound so perfect for the holidays! Makes me think "Kris Kringle." :)
DeleteMerry, merry!
Daryl / Avery
Rum cake
ReplyDeletedmskrug3 at hotmail dot com
Yum, yum. Rum! :)
DeleteMerry, merry!
Daryl / Avery
Pecan pie (the simple one from the Karo bottle) and a new big tradition at our place - Jack Daniels caramels.
ReplyDeleteJody, what are Jack Daniels caramels? What a neat combo.
DeleteMerry!
Daryl / Avery
Little mini cheesecakes with caramel topping
kim
kjohnson952@yahoo.com