Orange Cheesecake

For my dad's birthday this year, I made him an Orange Cheesecake. It was a cold, refreshing and delicious cake, so I'll share the recipe. I used mineola oranges for the cake, but you can use any oranges of your choice, like blood-orange, navel orange or cara cara navel orange.

Ingredients

2  cups ricotta cheese
¾ cup graham-cracker crumbs (6 or 7 crackers)
¾ cup sugar
4  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3  tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1  packet unflavored gelatin
4  large egg yolks
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
Pinch of salt
Grated zest of ½ orange
1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4  ounces of cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup heavy cream, whipped
1 Candied Orange Slice
(recipe follows)
Orange Glaze
(recipe follows)

You'll need to chill this cheesecake overnight in the spring-form pan; begin draining the ricotta at least several hours or the day before before preparing the cake. Makes one 7-inch round cake.

Directions

1. Line a sieve with cheesecloth, and place over a bowl. Put the ricotta in the cheesecloth and let drain in the refrigerator several hours or overnight.

2. Heat oven to 350. Line the bottom of a 7-inch spring form pan with parchment paper. Combine the graham-cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Using a fork, stir in the butter until crumbs are moist. Press mixture into bottom of the pan and bake 10mintues.
 

3. Place lemon juice in a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over the surface. Let soften 10 minutes.
 

4. In a small, heavy saucepan, beat egg yolks until smooth. Whisk in milk. Gradually whisk in remaining sugar and salt. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 7 minutes,
being careful not to boil. Transfer to a bowl; stir.
 

5. Stir in the softened gelatin, the orange zest and the vanilla. Mix until the gelatin has completely dissolved and set the custard aside.

6. Place drained ricotta in a bowl of a food processor; puree until smooth. Add cream cheese; process again until smooth. With machine running, ass warm custard, pulsing to combine. Transfer mixture to a bowl: fold in whipped cream.
Pour mixture into prepared pan. Cover and chill overnight.
 

7. Place the candied orange slice in center of cake. Pour lukewarm orange glaze over top, tipping cake pan to cover completely. Chill until glaze has set, about an hour.
 

Candied Orange Slices 
You'll only need one slice to decorate the cake, but making several allows you to choose the prettiest.

Ingredients
1  orange, scrubbed 
¾ cup sugar
2  tablespoons light corn syrup

Directions


1. Cut orange into 1/8-inch thick rounds. In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the sugar, 2 cups water and corn syrup. Bring to a boil. Cover, and simmer until the liquid is clear and no crystals cling to the pan, about 3 minutes. Add the orange rounds in one layer. Simmer until transparent, about 1 hour.

2. Transfer rounds to a wire rack to cool. 

Orange Glaze

Ingridients
7 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges), strained
3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions
1. Place 2 tablespoons orange juice in a bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over top. Let stand until soft, about 10 minutes.

2. Combine the sugar and 4 tablespoons orange juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine the remaining tablespoon orange juice and cornstarch in a small bowl. Stir until dissolved; whisk into boiling orange juice. Remove from heat. Stir in softened gelatin. Cool until lukewarm.