Recipe - Gingerbread-Cheesecake Swirl

1 teaspoon Ground ginger [a]
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon [a]
One fourth teaspoon Ground nutmeg [a]
1/8 teaspoon Ground cloves [a]
One fourth teaspoon Salt [a]
1 One half teaspoon Baking soda [a]
1 pound Cream cheese at room
temperature
One half teaspoon Vanilla extract
4 lg Eggs
One half cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar
One fourth cup Unsalted butter; melted [b]
One half cup Brown sugar [b]
One fourth cup Molasses [b]
1 cup Unbleached or white
presifted flour

"It's the contrast between the two elements of the cake that makes it
wonderful. The spiciness in the gingerbread cuts the richness of the
cheesecake, while the creaminess of the cheesecake moistens the dense
intense gingerbread. The cake is equally appropriate for both formal and
casual family dinners. It can be made up to two days ahead and refrigerated
or can be frozen up to two months."

Mix [a]; set aside. Beat cream cheese, preferably with an electric mixer,
until smooth. Beat in the vanilla, then 2 eggs, then the white sugar,
completely incorporating each ingredient before adding the next. Remove
half the cream cheese mixture and refrigerate it.

Mix [b]. Beat in [a], then the remaining 2 eggs. Stir in the flour in 2
batches. Refrigerate this gingerbread batter at least 20 minutes.

With a tablespoon drop half the gingerbread batter in lumps, lines or
strings onto the bottom of a greased 9" or 91/2" round springform pan.
Fill the spaces with half the chilled cheesecake mixture. Very gently cover
the cheesecake lumps with the rest of the gingerbread. Fill the new spaces
with the remaining chilled cheesecake. Using the flat edge of a knife,
swirl the pan contents to make a pretty pattern. Be careful not to mix the
2 batters. Gently pour on the room temperature cheesecake.

Bake in a preheated 350F oven 50 minutes, until the top of the cake begins
to crack in the center. The cake will be lumpy, since the gingerbread rises
and the cheesecake sinks (that's why you add half the cheesecake last), but
it's still nicelooking. Cool to room temperature, then remove pan sides.
Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Serve cold. It's easy to remove the pan
bottom when the cake is cold: turn the cake over, run a knife carefully
between the pan bottom and the cake, then remove.

From "Gingerbread: 99 Delicious Recipes From Sweet to Savory".

Posted to recipeludigest Volume 01 Number 208 by hvane@shrewsbury.org on
Nov 6, 1997