Cranberry White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

This beautiful and scrumptious cranberry white chocolate mousse cheesecake is an absolute showstopper of a vacation dessert!

And simply take a look at these sugared cranberries! 😍 (You received’t consider how simple they’re to make!) The entire totally different layers and elements may be made forward of time for fast meeting and baking. I’m strolling you thru all the pieces under!

Fast Cranberry Jam

Completely integral to the recipe, this fast and straightforward cranberry jam is simply:

• recent cranberries
• granulated sugar
• water + a contact of recent lemon juice + a tiny little bit of vanilla extract

Simmer all of these components till the cranberries pop and break down and the jam is tremendous thick. It can thicken even a bit extra because it cools.

Let it cool to room temperature. The jam may be made a number of days prematurely.

Make Sugared Cranberries

I’ve at all times thought sugared cranberries to be one of the crucial stunning garnishes ever. However I assumed they had been sophisticated to make.

Boy was I ever improper! These sugared cranberries are easy as may be.

1. Simmer sugar and water till the sugar dissolves making a easy syrup.
2. Pour the easy syrup over recent cranberries and allow them to sit on this combination for five to 10 minutes.
3. Use a slotted spoon to take away the cranberries from the easy syrup and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet (with out touching or they’ll stick collectively).
4. Let the cranberries dry for a couple of hours till they’re sticky to the contact.
5. Roll in granulated sugar.

That’s it! The sugared cranberries may be made a number of days prematurely and preserve finest uncovered at room temperature (in a cool, dry spot).

Cheesecake Batter

The cheesecake batter on this recipe is egg-free and bakes as much as the lightest, creamiest baked cheesecake you’ll ever meet.

It’s superb. And it comes with an ancestry that’s loaded with rave evaluations (began with this white chocolate mousse cheesecake which has now been made right into a peppermint bark version, a pumpkin version, and now this epic cranberry cheesecake).

A little bit of cornstarch within the batter helps thicken, in addition to soften, the cheesecake batter for a luscious, ethereal consequence.

Additionally, as a result of there aren’t any eggs within the recipe, this cheesecake isn’t susceptible to cracking like so many different baked cheesecake recipes.

Assembling Cranberry Cheesecake

The crust for this cheesecake bakes for a couple of minutes by itself earlier than assembling the remainder of the layers.

• First: crust
• Second: half of the cheesecake batter
• Third: half of the cooled cranberry jam
• Fourth: remaining cheesecake batter

At this level, the cheesecake is baked till the sides are set and the middle continues to be a bit jiggly wiggly.

As soon as the cheesecake is usually cooled, proceed with the layers.

• Fifth: remaining cranberry jam
• Sixth: white chocolate mousse layer

Selecting the Proper Springform Pan Dimension

The photographs on this publish present the cheesecake assembled and baked in a 9-inch springform pan {aff. hyperlink}.

You may see that it’s very full. And that’s with out the sweetened whipped cream layer. If utilizing a 9-inch springform pan, ensure the edges are at the least 3 inches tall.

A 10-inch springform pan {aff. hyperlink} may also work nice for this recipe.

Both means, I choose to both pipe the sweetened whipped cream across the edges or dollop on particular person servings vs spreading excessive of the white chocolate mousse (irrespective of the dimensions of pan).

Optionally available Layers

Whereas undoubtedly stunning, the sugared cranberries are utterly optionally available for this cheesecake. They’re solely used for garnish (and for consuming if individuals need to – I believe they’re yummy!), however they aren’t integral to the recipe just like the crust, cranberry jam, cheesecake batter or white chocolate mousse.

The sweetened whipped cream additionally makes a reasonably and yummy garnish and helps reduce by way of the richness of the cheesecake, nevertheless it additionally isn’t 100% needed, and the cheesecake is scrumptious with or with out.

If this recipe appears a bit a lot (I get it! It’s form of intense!), you’ll be able to simply ditch these two elements for a extra approachable, however nonetheless show-stopping, dessert.

Greatest Vacation Cheesecake

Nevertheless, in case you select to simply accept this mission, I can assure that inside a couple of hours (and after washing a bowl or two), you’ll be gazing one of the crucial scrumptious vacation cheesecakes within the historical past of ever.

The rivers of candy and tart cranberry jam run by way of the mushy and creamy cheesecake batter for an extremely tasty distinction of flavors.

And the white chocolate mousse layer? It brings all of the consolation of a weighted blanket throughout a nap after a aggravating day. It settles in on high of the cheesecake with the boldness of the singular part wanted to convey all the pieces collectively into one astonishingly fantastic cheesecake.

There may be a lot to like about this cranberry white chocolate mousse cheesecake.

It’s beautiful.

The vacation flavors are high notch.

It’s distinctive however not bizarre.

And it’s really among the finest cheesecakes I’ve ever had.

In case you are searching for the proper vacation dessert, that is the one. Learn by way of the recipe solely, as a result of I believe you’ll discover that whereas it’s prolonged and there are loads of elements, it actually does come collectively faster and extra simply than you would possibly assume.

Seize that apron and get going! I promise it’ll be price it.

Cranberry White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

Yield: 12 servings (9- or 10-inch cheesecake)

Prep Time: 2 hours hrs

Cook dinner Time: 45 minutes minutes

Chilling/Cooling: 2 hours hrs

Complete Time: 4 hours hrs 45 minutes minutes

Sugared Cranberries:

• 1 cup recent cranberries (4 oz/113 g)
• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar

Fast Cranberry Jam:

• 4 cups recent cranberries (16 oz/454 g)
• 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon recent lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Crust:

• 1 ½ cups (150 g) finely crushed graham crackers, about 9 to 10 rectangle graham crackers
• ¼ cup (53 g) granulated sugar
• 1 giant egg yolk (see notice)
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) butter, melted

Cheesecake Batter:

• 24 ounces (680 g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup (227 g) bitter cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

White Chocolate Mousse:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream (see notice)
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces white chocolate (NOT almond bark, sweet wafers or white chocolate chips), melted (see notice)

Sweetened Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

• For the sugared cranberries, place the cranberries in a medium bowl. Warmth the water and sugar in a saucepan till simmering and the sugar is absolutely dissolved, 2 to three minutes. Pour the combination over the cranberries and stir them to coat. Let the cranberries sit within the easy syrup for five to 10 minutes.

• Take away the cranberries with a slotted spoon, draining extra syrup, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet with out touching (or they’ll stick collectively). Allow them to dry for one to 2 hours (it’s okay in the event that they’re nonetheless a bit moist on the underside however the high and sides ought to be sticky to the contact). Roll the cranberries in granulated sugar to coat and place in a bowl or on a tray. Put aside. The sugared cranberries may be made a number of days prematurely. Cowl and preserve at room temperature.

• For the cranberry jam, mix all of the components besides the vanilla in a medium saucepan. Convey to a simmer over medium warmth and cook dinner, stirring usually, for 10-12 minutes till thick. Reasonable warmth so the jam would not burn. Stir within the vanilla. Scrape right into a bowl and let cool to room temperature. The jam may be made a number of days prematurely.

• For the crust, preheat the oven to 350 levels F. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the egg yolk and melted butter and blend till evenly mixed.

• Press the graham cracker combination into the underside and simply barely up the edges of a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan (will likely be very full if utilizing 9-inch pan, ensure sides are at the least 3 inches tall). In case your pan is susceptible to leaking, place foil across the backside and up the aspect on the skin of the pan earlier than baking.

• Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Take away and let cool utterly. 

• For the cheesecake layer, in a medium bowl with a handheld electrical mixer or within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the cream cheese till tremendous mushy and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and cornstarch and blend till well-combined, scraping down the edges of the bowl as wanted. Add the bitter cream and vanilla and blend till clean and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.

• Unfold HALF of the cheesecake batter over the crust. Dollop HALF of the cooled cranberry jam over the cheesecake batter and gently unfold round. If it has been chilled, it is going to be a bit tougher to unfold over the mushy cheesecake batter, nevertheless it would not need to be excellent. Unfold the remaining cheesecake batter excessive.

• Bake for 45 to 60 minutes (extra time for a full 9-inch pan, doubtless a bit much less time for a 10-inch pan), till the sides are set however the heart nonetheless jiggles barely. Take away from the oven and let cool utterly.

• When cool, dollop the remainder of the cranberry jam excessive and unfold evenly. It might not absolutely cowl the cheesecake – it is okay if it’s a bit patchy right here and there.

• For the white chocolate mousse, in a medium bowl, beat the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla with an electrical mixer (handheld or stand mixer) till peaks type.

• In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese till fluffy. Add the melted white chocolate and blend till clean and creamy. Fold within the whipped cream mixing gently with a rubber spatula till evenly mixed (see notice). Unfold the white chocolate mousse over the cranberry jam. Chill for 1 to 2 hours so the mousse layer can arrange a bit.

• For the sweetened whipped cream, beat the whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla collectively till peaks type. Unfold the whipped cream evenly over the white chocolate mousse OR pipe across the edges.

• Garnish cheesecake or particular person servings with sugared and/or recent cranberries.

• The cheesecake may be made 1 to 2 days prematurely. Add the sweetened whipped cream inside 2 to three hours of serving and add sugared cranberries proper earlier than serving as each of these elements can get liquidy (and the cranberries will lose their crackly sugar coating) if added to the cheesecake too far prematurely.

Optionally available: whereas stunning, the sugared cranberries are utterly optionally available for this cheesecake. They’re solely used for garnish (and for consuming if individuals need to), however they aren’t integral to the recipe. The sweetened whipped cream additionally makes a tasty garnish and praise to the wealthy cheesecake, nevertheless it isn’t needed, and the cheesecake is scrumptious with or with out.
Heavy Whipping Cream: the recipe states to whip the heavy cream individually when making the white chocolate mousse layer. I exploit 40% fats heavy cream (Darigold model from Costco), and skip this step. As an alternative, I soften the white chocolate, add the softened cream cheese and whip till creamy. Then I add the heavy cream and vanilla and blend till tremendous thick and creamy. The explanation the recipe isn’t written this fashion is as a result of not everybody makes use of the identical heavy cream as I do, and in case you are utilizing a heavy cream with much less fats (totally different manufacturers will fluctuate in fats share), it might not thicken added as liquid to the white chocolate/cream cheese with out whipping it to peaks first. 
White Chocolate: it’s actually necessary to make use of *actual* white chocolate for the mousse layer and never almond bark or melting wafers. White chocolate chips usually don’t soften properly, both, so they aren’t advisable for the reason that white chocolate must be melted alone earlier than being blended with the cream cheese. I exploit the Ghirardelli white chocolate bars (often discovered within the baking aisle by the chocolate chips). 
Egg Yolk: for the reason that cheesecake batter is egg-free, it is a widespread recipe for people who want an egg-free dessert. For that purpose (and others), the egg yolk may be eradicated from the crust, if wanted. 

Serving: 1 serving, Energy: 601kcal, Carbohydrates: 72g, Protein: 8g, Fats: 33g, Saturated Fats: 19g, Ldl cholesterol: 106mg, Sodium: 381mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 59g

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Recipe Supply: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe