Two Cheesecakes From: arielle@taronga.com (Stephanie da Silva)

Date: Wed, 18 Aug 1993 03:06:55 GMT


Gingerbread Cheesecake Swirl

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup light unsulphured molasses
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Butter a 9 inch springform pan.  In a mixer
bowl, beat the cream cheese on high speed until light and smooth, about
3 minutes.  With the mixer on, beat in the vanilla.  Add two of the
eggs, 1 at a time, beating until thoroughly blended.  Gradually add the
granulated sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3
minutes; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the molasses over low heat until bubbles begin
to form around the sides.  Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, 1
tablespoon at a time, until completely blended.

Scrape the molasses into a medium bowl and stir in the ginger, cinnamon,
nutmeg, cloves and salt.  Add the brown sugar and beat with a wooden
spoon until smooth.  Let cool to room temperature.

Beat the remaining 2 eggs into the gingerbread batter, 1 at a time, until
well blended.  Stir in the baking sode, then beat in the flour in 3
batches until completely incorporated.

Using a tablespoon, drop half the gingerbread better in dollops into the 
prepared pan.  Use one-fourth of the reserved cream cheese mixture to fill
in the empty spaces.  Dollop the remaining gingerbread batter on top of
the cream cheese mounds.  Fill in with another one-fourth of the cream
cheese mixture.  Swirl with the flat edge of a knife to marbelize the
batters (be careful not to overmix).  Smooth the remaining cream cheese 
mixture over the top.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes, or until the top of the 
cake begins to crack in the center.  (The cake may be lumpy since the 
gingerbread rises and the cheesecake sinks).  Let cool to room temperature.
Remove the sides of the springform pan, cover and refrigerate.  Serve
chilled.


Pistachio Cheesecake

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 whole eggs, at room termperature
1/4 cup finely chopped unsalted pistachio nuts
1 egg white
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
3 tablespoon apricot preserves

Preheat the oven to 275F.  Butter an 8 by 3 inch cheesecake pan or
springform.  Chill the pan for 5 minutes, then butter it again.  If
using a springform, wrap the outside with foil.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer on
medium until it is very soft.  Gradually beat in 1 1/4 cups of the
sugar until the mixture is light and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Beat in the whole eggs 1 at a time, beating well between each addition, 
until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly blended.  Stir in the
chopped pistachios. 

Turn the batter into the prepared pan and place it in a larger pan.
Add enough warm water to the larger pan to reach about two-thirds of
the way up the cake pan.  Bake the cheesecake in the middle of the oven
for 1 1/2 hours, or until set.  Remove from the water bath and let the
cake cool in the pan on a rack.  Refrigerate until chilled, at least
4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 500F.  In a medium bowl, beat together the egg
white, almonds and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar until well blended, 
about 1 minute.  Unmold the cake onto a cookie sheet, wrapping a hot
wet towel around the outside of the pan if necessary.  Brush or spread
the almond meringue over th top and sides of the cake and bake in the
upper third of the oven until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Let cool.

In a small heavy sacepan, warm the apricot preserves until melted.  Press
through a sieve and brtush all over the cake to glaze.


mara

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