Red and green couldn’t taste any better!
Hoping everyone had a very Merry Christmas and looking forward to the new year 2024.
Our Xmas dinner this year was tamales (made by me and my sister) that I had in the freezer from last spring when my sister visited and we made our homemade tamales. I had made 12 dozen to begin with and by Christmas I was down to just 3 dozen. We cooked 2 dozen leaving me with just one last dozen I’m holding on to for a while. Mexican rice, some good guacamole and Paul’s chili rounded out our dinner.
I wanted an easy dessert and one that looked Christmasy and decided on this cheesecake with a cherry topping, salted roasted pistachios and I made some tuile leaves for decorations. It was absolutely mouthwatering delicious, the cherries were a tiny bit tart and the saltiness and crunch from the pistachios added to the deliciousness of this dessert and the leaves were just thrown in because I’ve been trying out my tuile molds for the third time.
We are down to half a cheesecake which will either be given away or frozen; either way someone will enjoy it today or later out of the freezer.
Have a happy New Year and hoping to start cooking some new recipes once we are in our new home.
BLAST FROM THE PAST: This Butternut Squash Ravioli is a recipe I posted in January of 2013 and has over 10,000 views to date. It uses dumpling or wonton skins instead of pasta and a super easy recipe.
The eggs get added in one at a time and mixed until thoroughly combined.
Press the crumbs into springform pan and go up 1″ up the sides. Bake for about 10 minutes in 350° oven.
Pour the batter Into the pre-baked crust lined springform pan and smooth top.
Just a few minor cracks which the sour cream topping will cover up. (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture after I added the sour cream topping.
Cherry sauce almost finished. The cherries, butter and a drop of red food coloring gets added at the end.
My first tuile leaves I made with my green batter turned brown when baked then I tried them in the microwave which they stayed green but didn’t get as crisp. I will keep experimenting on my tuiles.
Cherry Pistachio Cheesecake with Tuile Leaves
Ingredients
- Crust:
- 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 c. butter melted
- 1/4 c. granulated sugar
- Cheesecake:
- 4 - 8- oz. pkg. cream cheese softened to room temperature important
- 1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 1/3 c. sour cream at room temperature
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- Cherry topping:
- 1 can tart red pitted cherries
- 1/2 c sugar
- 11/2 Tbsp cornstarch
- Juice of one lemon
- Drop red food color
- 1 tsp butter
- Sour cream topping:
- 1 c. sour cream
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 3 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
- Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
- Make the crust: Pour the graham cracker crumbs into a medium bowl and stir in cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter until combined. Press firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan about 1". No need to grease the pan first. Pre-bake for 10 minutes. Allow crust to slightly cool while preparing the filling.
- Make the filling: Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, then beat until fully combined. On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just blended. After the final egg is incorporated into the batter, stop mixing. To help prevent the cheesecake from deflating and cracking as it cools, avoid over-mixing the batter as best you can.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pre-baked crust. Have a pan of boiling water on the bottom rack under the cheesecake. Bake for 55-70 minutes or until the center is almost set and a little jiggly. If you notice the cheesecake browning tent the top with a piece of aluminum foil. Turn the oven off and open the door slightly. Let the cheesecake start to cool in the oven for an hour with temperature off; then remove cheesecake to counter and finishing cooling to room temperature. Add the sour cream topping before refrigerating the cheesecake and allow to chill 4 hours - overnight.
- For cherry topping: Drain the cherries, reserving one cup liquid. Mix sugar and cornstarch. In small saucepan. Gradually stir in reserve liquid until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture bubbles. Cook one minute more until thick and clear. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and food coloring. Add in cherries and lemon juice pour into container and cool until room temperature then refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Sour cream topping: Make sure cream cheese is room temperature beat with mixer, the sour cream, sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth and no lumps. Add to slightly cooled cheesecake and then refrigerate when cheesecake is room temperature.
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