Rania's Recipes: Cheesecake, Roasted Vegetables
Rania Harris stopped by Pittsburgh Today Live to show off a great dessert idea to complete your Thanksgiving meal along with a roasted vegetable recipe!
Cranberry Glazed White Chocolate Cheesecake
Crust:
- 5 ½ ounces shortbread cookies
- ½ cup hazelnuts - toasted and husked
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted
Filling:
- 8 oz white chocolate - finely chopped
- 24 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
- 4 large eggs
Topping:
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur)
- 3 cups fresh cranberries (1 - 12 ounce package)
- 1 cup sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
Directions:
Crust: Preheat to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 ¾ -inch high sides. Finely grind shortbread cookies and toasted hazelnuts in processor. Add melted unsalted butter and process until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake until crust is golden, about 8 minutes. Cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.
Filling: In top of double boiler set over barely simmering water, stir white chocolate until melted. Remove pan from over water. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until blended and smooth. Add sour cream and Frangelico and beat until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in melted white chocolate. Pour filling into prepared crust. Bake cake until top is golden and puffed and center is set, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool in pan on rack (cake will fall in center). Refrigerate until cold.
Topping: Dissolve 1 teaspsoon cornstarch in 1 tablespoon Frangelico in a small bowl and set aside. Combine 1 cup cranberries, 1 cup sugar and ¾ cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 2 cups cranberries, grated lemon peel and cornstarch mixture. Simmer until cranberries just begin to pop and mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Cool. Chill until mixture gels. Remove sides of pan from cake and transfer to platter - spread cranberry mixture atop cake and cut into wedges - passing reserved syrup separately.
Roasted Root Vegetables
- ½ pound medium carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- ½ pound medium beets, peeled and quartered
- ½ pound medium turnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
- ½ pound medium parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 3 shallots, unpeeled, cut in half through the stem end
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup Wildflower or Chestnut honey
- ¼ cup good quality balsamic vinegar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the vegetables with the olive oil and salt and pepper in a big bowl. Place them onto a baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 25 minutes.
Whisk together the honey and vinegar in a small bowl. Take the vegetables out of the oven, pour the vinegar-honey mixture over, and toss. Return the vegetables to the oven and cook until fork-tender and caramelized, about 20 minutes.
Serves 4
