Cranberry cheesecake tart

This cranberry cheesecake tart is one of the most delicious winter desserts I’ve ever made. And just look at those colours! A crisp buttery pastry, a silky cheesecake filling with a hint of orange, and a generous layer of homemade cranberry sauce come together beautifully. It’s every bit as satisfying as a classic baked cheesecake and an absolute must-bake during the winter months.

Ingredients for the pastry:

• 200 g plain flour
• 120 g unsalted butter, cold and diced
• 60 g icing sugar
• a pinch of salt
• 2–3 tablespoons cold water

Sift the flour into a bowl, add the butter and rub together with your fingertips (or pulse in a food processor) until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the icing sugar, salt and cold water, then quickly bring the dough together. Shape into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for 30–60 minutes.

Grease and lightly flour a 24–25 cm tart tin, tapping out any excess flour. Roll out the chilled pastry to about 3 mm thick and line the tin. Chill again for 30 minutes. Prick the base lightly with a fork, line with baking paper and fill with baking beans (or dried beans or rice).

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Reduce the temperature to 190°C and blind bake the pastry for 15 minutes. Remove the baking paper and weights, reduce the oven temperature to 180°C, then bake for a further 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Leave to cool.

Ingredients for the cranberry sauce:

• 350 g fresh cranberries
• 120 g caster sugar
• 80 ml freshly squeezed orange juice

While the pastry is baking, prepare the cranberry sauce.

Place the cranberries, sugar and orange juice into a saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook for several minutes, until the cranberries burst, the mixture thickens slightly and some of the liquid has evaporated. Blend until smooth using a stick blender.

Spread half of the cranberry sauce (it can still be warm) over the cooled tart shell. Reserve the remaining sauce for the topping.

Ingredients for the cheesecake filling:

• 350 g full-fat or semi-fat curd cheese, finely ground three times
• 100 g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• finely grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place all the filling ingredients into the bowl of a mixer. Mix just until smooth and combined. Avoid overmixing, as incorporating too much air will cause the filling to rise and then sink during baking. The tart should have a smooth, level surface. Pour the filling over the cranberry layer.

Bake at 160°C for about 45 minutes, or until the filling is just set. If necessary, bake for a few minutes longer. Leave to cool completely at room temperature for several hours.

Spread the remaining cranberry sauce over the cooled tart. If it has become too thick, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of hot water until spreadable.

Decorate as desired, for example with crumbled meringue.

Enjoy!

Source: Bajaderka’s recipe, slightly adapted.