   |
|
|
| Recipes |
|---|
 |
| Grand Marnier Mascarpone Cheesecake |
|
|
|
From Chef Karen Harper, pastry chef for the Black Rabbit restaurant at McMenamins Edgefield in Troutdale, Oregon
 This cheesecake recipe is simple and tasty, but not Chef Harper's. If you ever have the opportunity to taste her cheesecake, you’ll understand why she keeps her own recipe a secret! Sugar - 1 cup Grand Marnier - 1 tablespoon Eggs, large - 3 each Orange zest - from 1 orange Kosher salt - 1/8 teaspoon Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust Chocolate graham crackers - 16 squares Unsalted butter, melted - 3 tablespoons Chocolate Ganache Semisweet chocolate, chopped - 8 ounces Heavy cream - ¾ cup Grand Marnier - 1 tablespoon Mousse Layer Mascarpone, room temperature - 2 cups Heavy cream, whipped stiff - 2 cup Sugar - ½ cup Gelatin, unflavored - 1 teaspoon Water, cold - 2 tablespoons Candied Orange Slices Oranges, sliced from top to bottom ¼ inch thick - 2 each Sugar - 4 cups Water - 4 cups For Crust Preheat oven to 375f. In food processor, blend graham crackers and butter till completely incorporated. Mash crumb mixture evenly into bottom of a 10” spring form pan. Bake 10 minutes; cool completely. For Cheesecake (must be done in advance, cover and refrigerate) Preheat oven to 300f. Beat cream cheese till creamy. Gradually beat in sugar and Grand Marnier. One at a time add eggs, scrapping sides of bowl often. Scrape batter into the crust and smooth top. Bake on a cookie sheet till center barely jiggles when pan is tapped, 45-55 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 2 hours. Unmold, cover and refrigerate overnight. For Ganache (can be done in advance, cover and refrigerate) Bring cream just to the boil. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate till incorporated. Using a whisk, very gently stir in Grand Marnier. Let ganache cool till is thick enough to spread. If ganache becomes too thick, warm it in a water bath or double boiler. For Mousse (do not do this step till ready to build dessert) Using an electric mixer, beat mascarpone zest and sugar on medium for 1 minute; beat cream in separate bowls till stiff peaks form. Bloom gelatin in water. With mixer on medium speed, quickly drizzle gelatin into mascarpone. Immediately fold in whipped cream. Dissolve gelatin in water and fold into mascarpone mixture. Then fold in whipped cream. Smooth mixture over chocolate cookie crust and chill for at least four hours. For Orange Slices (can be done in advance, cover and refrigerate) Boil orange slices in water for 10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. Stir in sugar and cook for another five minutes. Remove orange slices with tongs to a baking sheet and allow them to cool completely. (Reserve the orange simple syrup for other culinary uses!) Finally – Building the Dessert Place ring mold used for baking the cheesecake back on. Spread the ganache over the top of the cheesecake, then the mousse. Remove ring before serving. Garnish with candied orange slices. Buon Appetito! |
