White Chocolate Truffle Cranberry Cheesecake (with a Ginger Crust)

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This white chocolate truffle cheesecake first appeared on my previous blog, The Culinary Jumble in December 2017. The recipe has been tweaked to include spelt flour, but the images remain unchanged.

One of the things I like most about winter is the snow. And when I say I like snow, I mean looking out at it. From a warm house. I don’t mean driving in it and certainly not walking in it.

Isn’t there just something ethereal and magical about a snowy landscape? I wanted to recreate a vision of winter, along with a Christmas touch, in this sumptuous cheesecake.

The crust is a ginger-flavoured version of one of my most versatile recipes: I use it to make cookies and it has never failed me, seriously. And it’s so simple to make.

The dessert has a filling which is light and terrifically sweet, made with mascarpone, cream cheese and white chocolate. There’s also a smattering of cranberries to add an extra dimension to the taste and seasonal touch. Lastly, a layer of whipped cream topped with wintery decorations and a sprinkle of icing sugar finishes off the look.

The flavour combo is stunning. There’s the hit of ginger from the thick, chewy crust which is balanced amazingly well by the soft, sweet filling, along with the tart cranberries. Sublime.

The cheesecake is made in a 6″ tin and fairly small (my kids won’t touch cheesecake with a barge pole. Such a shame it leaves more for piggy-face here) which creates a fairly stocky dessert.

You could use a larger pan which would just result in a thinner version. This one would easily provide eight perfectly-sized slices.

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White Chocolate Truffle Cranberry Cheesecake (with a Gluten Free Ginger Crust)

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

Cookie Crust:

60g butter (melted)
80g brown sugar
100g oats
45g flour (see note1)
1 teaspoon ginger
2 tablespoons light/golden syrup (see note 2)

Truffle filling:

125ml cream
185g white chocolate
250g mascarpone
100g cream cheese
50g icing sugar
2-3 tablespoons cranberries (I used frozen)

Topping:

100ml whipping cream
decorations/sprinkles
icing sugar (to dust over)

Instructions

Melt the butter and set to one side.
Pre-heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Grease a 6 inch (18cm) spring-form pan.
Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
Add the syrup to the melted butter and then pour into the dry ingredients, stirring to combine.
Pour the sticky dough into the prepared tin. Using the back of the spoon, press the dough into the tin until you have a fairly even layer.
Bake for 16 minutes and remove from the oven. The crust will be bubbling and appear totally uncooked. Do not cook for longer - it's ready! Leave to cool completely.
For the truffle filling: heat the cream in a pan until it starts to boil. Remove from the heat and add the white chocolate. Leave for about five minutes and then quickly stir or beat until it comes together and you are left with a thick liquid. Leave for a while until almost cooled and then add to the cheeses along with the icing sugar. Whisk for a minute or two, just until the mixture is smooth - do not overmix! Lastly, stir in the cranberries very carefully.
Pour on top of the prepared crust and smooth the surface. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
When ready to serve, whip the cream and slather it over. Sprinkle with whatever decorations you fancy and a touch of icing sugar to create a wintery effect. The cheesecake is better straight from the fridge but it won't melt if left out on the counter for a while. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

I originally made this recipe using gluten free flour. However, any kind of flour would work well.
If you are in the UK, use Golden Syrup. Anywhere else, go for a light to golden colored syrup.