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Ginger Pear Cheesecake

1 – 8-inch cheesecake

Kimberly Mesa (Instagram, Facebook & Twitter: @Kimmykakesco) / Owner, KimmyKakes, Chicago, IL

Ingredients for the Crust:

  • 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 tbsp. flour
  • 1 tbsp. sugar
  • 3 tbsp. melted butter

Ingredients for the Caramelized Pears:

  • 1 ½ pears peeled and chopped
  • ¼ cup of sugar
  • 1 tbsp. water
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice

Ingredients for the Glazed Pears:

  • 6 tsp. The Perfect Purée Sweet Ginger, thawed
  • 1 ½ pears, peeled and sliced
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice

Ingredients for the Batter:

  • 1 ½ cups The Perfect Purée Pear Puree, thawed
  • 1 cup The Perfect Purée Sweet Ginger, thawed and divided into 2 equal portions and reserved
  • 3 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 4 eggs
  • ¼ tsp. salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.
2. Prepare water for the steel bain-marie pot (water bath) by boiling water in a tea kettle or small pot.
3. Prepare the crust: Blend ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Pour into an 8-inch springform pan. Set aside.
4. Prepare the caramelized pears: Combine ingredients into a small pot. Cook over low heat until the sugar has melted and caramelized and the pears are golden brown but still toothsome. Set aside.
5. Prepare the batter: Place the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and salt into a mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed until the ingredients are combined (1-2 minutes).
6. Scrape the bowl and add sweetened condensed milk and The Perfect Purée Pear Puree. Mix on low speed for 1-2 minutes. Scrape the bowl. Add eggs and mix on low speed for 1 minute.
7. Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Pour the caramelized pears onto the batter. Put dollops of the first portion of The Perfect Purée Sweet Ginger on top of the caramelized pears. Pour the remaining batter over the pears.
8. Use the remaining portion of The Perfect Purée Sweet Ginger reserve to make dollops on top of the cheesecake, then carefully swirl through the dollops with a knife of The Perfect Purée Sweet Ginger, making a pattern.
9. Cover the outside of the springform pan with foil. Place into a baking pan, and put them both into the preheated oven on the middle rack. Carefully pour boiling water into the baking pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the outside of the cheesecake is firm but the center is slightly jiggly, like jelly. Take the springform pan from the stainless steel bain-marie onto a cookie sheet outside the oven. Let it set up at room temperature on the cookie sheet for 20 minutes. Chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
10. Prepare the glazed pears: Combine ingredients into a small pot. Cook until the sugar is melted and the pears are slightly soft. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
11. Unmold the cheesecake from the springform pan. Arrange glazed pears onto the top of the cheesecake. Enjoy.