Orange You Glad It Is Cheesecake?

 

Orange Sour Cream Cheesecake

Crust:

1 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sugar

Filling:

2 pounds cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

4 eggs

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup butter

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

Garnish:

1 sectioned orange

1 sectioned blood orange

1/4 cup extra dark chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix crumbs with butter and sugar. Press into the bottom of a buttered 10 inch spring form pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar, orange juice, zest, vanilla and sour cream, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Turn mixer speed down to low and mix in eggs. As soon as they are incorporated, pour batter onto crust. Return pan to oven and immediately reduce heat to 325 degrees. Bake until center is set, about 50 to 60 minutes. Turn the oven off but leave cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour longer. Remove cheesecake from oven, run a sharp knife around edge of pan and allow to cool another hour (in 30 minutes, begin to make topping).

Make topping by combining all ingredients in a medium sauce pan and cooking over medium high heat, stirring constantly. Once mixture has reached a boil, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking and stirring for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool 15 minutes before spreading on cheesecake. Cover loosely and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Remove from pan and garnish just before serving by arranging orange sections in center of cake, then roughly chopping chocolate chips and sprinkling them on top. 

 

Hints: Chocolate graham crackers are super to use but you can also use chocolate wafer cookies (omit the sugar in the crust). If the cream cheese is room temperature it will be easier to beat. Eggs at room temperature will incorporate faster as well. This cheesecake is best if allowed to sit overnight--most cheesecakes are. See Winter Orange Salad on this blog for the easiest way to section oranges.

I love cheesecake! Nephew Matt says that the fresh oranges make this dessert more refreshing and less heavy tasting than some cheesecakes he has had. And Matt is a good judge of food.  My friend Kris M made a zebra striped chocolate cheesecake several years ago for a special dinner party and it is still one of my favorites. The following link is the recipe for a very similar cheesecake, if not the exact one. I have learned over the years only to make it when you will be serving a crowd--if you aren't you will eat the whole thing all by yourself in a couple of days. You won't be able to help yourself.

 http://www.mcall.com/features/food/all-chocolaterec.7150899jan27,0,4123194.story