Orange Cheesecake with Candied Orange

Oranges came in the box from Boston Organics and cheesecake was requested for me to make. Recipe for the cake was taken from here, with the rum suggestion used, and the recipe for the candied oranges was taken from here.

Ingredients:

• Crust:
• 2 cups graham crackers (1/2 box)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 TBSP butter, melted
• Cake:
• 24 oz cream cheese (don't use reduced fat or low fat...it's cake), room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• juice from 1/2 an orange
• 3 TBSP orange zest (I got enough from the same 1/2 I was going to juice)
• 1 TBSP vanilla
• 3 TBSP white rum (I used Bacardi)
• Topping
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 oranges cut into thin slices

 Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 325F/160C
2) Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor until finely crushed.
3) Add sugar and melted butter and mix until combined.






4) Pat into the bottom of pan and bake for 10-12 minutes.
5) Let cool.
6) Lower the oven to 300F/150C







7) Beat cream cheese, flour and sugar until smooth.
8) Add eggs, vanilla, orange juice, orange zest and rum and mix until combined.







9) Pour into the crust and bake for 80 minutes or until the middle is set. Keep an eye on it due to the rum.







10) Let sit for 30 minutes.
11) Loosen the cheesecake from the side of the pan (either take off the spring form part or slide a knife around the sides).
12) Let sit for another 30 minutes.





13) Combine the water and sugar in a pot or pan with large sides and bring to a boil.








14) Add the oranges and let boil for 5 minutes on each side.




 



15) Reduce heat and let simmer for 30 minutes, turning over again if necessary.







16) Remove from heat and let cool on wax/parchment paper
17) Add the candied orange slices to the cheesecake and place in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours.

 

 my crust did not hold up too well, so I put some on top of the cheesecake which was great!

 This is the texture you want in a cheesecake