Cranberry Jam White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Cranberry Jam:
- 16 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
For the Crust:
- 1-½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 5 tbsp. butter, melted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp. sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp. corn starch
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
For the White Chocolate Mousse:
- 8 ounces baking white chocolate bars
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 8 ounces Cool Whip
For the Candied Cranberries, Optional:
- 8 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1-1/2 cups water
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar or super fine sugar
Instructions
To prepare the candied cranberries (overnight):
- Combine water and 1 1/2 cups of sugar in a sauce pot, over medium heat.
- Heat the mixture until sugar is all dissolved, while stirring slowly.
- Remove from heat; let the mixture cool a bit before adding cranberries.
- Add cranberries, stir, cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove from refrigerator; drain cranberries in a colander.
- Add 1/2 cup of sugar to a shallow bowl and coat cranberries in sugar.
- Set aside until ready to decorate.
To prepare the quick cranberry jam:
- In a sauce pot, over medium heat, combine cranberries, sugar and vanilla extract; mix well and stir cranberries often.
- Cook for 12 – 15 minutes; remove from heat and let it cool completely.
To prepare the crust:
- In a medium bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla.
- Stir very well, until all incorporated.
- Press graham cracker mixture into the pan, evenly, all over the bottom and about half way up the side.
- Spread half of the cranberry jam over the crust.
To prepare the cheesecake:
- Pre-heat the oven to 325°F. and grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- Use a large roasting pan that’s bigger and longer than the springform pan.
- If springform pan will not hold up in water, wrap the outside of the springform pan in heavy duty aluminum foil from bottom up to the sides.
- Using an electric mixer, start beating cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add vanilla extract, and sour cream; mix until combined.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition; scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and beat until all incorporated.
- Lower speed and add corn starch; while on medium-low speed, pour in heavy cream.
- Mix until all combined, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again until smooth.
- Cut vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds into the cheesecake batter; mix well until incorporated throughout.
- Spoon all of the cheesecake batter into the springform, over the jam.
- Place roasting pan into the oven and place the cheesecake springform pan inside the roasting pan.
- Carefully add water to the roasting pan, about half way up the side of the springform.
- Place in oven and bake for 70 – 75 minutes.
- Turn off the oven and open the oven door half way; let cheesecake rest for about 10 minutes and take it out of the roasting pan and carefully take off the foil.
- Let it rest for 20 minutes on the counter and then gently run a greased butter knife between sides of the cheesecakes and the springform to carefully separate it.
- It is not necessary to take the cheesecake out of the pan until ready to add topping.
- Cool cheesecake for an hour.
- Spread remaining cranberry jam over the top of the cheesecake.
- Cover the pan with saran wrap and place the cheesecake in the refrigerator.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before adding the mousse.
To prepare the white chocolate mousse:
- Break up white chocolate bars and melt them according the to package instructions.
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes.
- Drizzle in melted white chocolate while continuing to beat cream cheese; mix well.
- Fold in whipped topping gently until all combined.
- Separate the mousse in two batches.
- Spread 1/2 of the white chocolate mousse over the top of the cheesecake; use the second 1/2 to decorate with a frosting tip..
