Citrus and Dried Fruit Cheesecake

Crust:

• 1 pkg. Effie’s Oatcakes
• 2 oz. melted unsalted butter

Filling:

• 1 # cream cheese
• ¾ c. sugar
• ½ t. salt
• 6 eggs
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 1 T. tangerine or orange zest

Topping:

• ½ c. apricot preserve
• 2 tangerine or oranges, juiced and strained
• ¼ c. brandy or cognac
• 1/3 c. dried cranberries
• 1/3 c. dried cherries
• 1/3 c. golden raisins
• pinch salt
• 2 T. brown sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Butter the sides of a 9 inch spring-form pan, leaving the bottom un-buttered.

Break the Oatcakes with your hands into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse and grind the Oatcakes into an even mealy crumb. (Alternatively, place the Oatcakes in a strong plastic bag, such as a Ziploc, and use a rolling pin to crush the oatcakes into an even mealy crumb.)

Transfer the crumb mixture into a bowl and add the melted butter. Toss together until evenly combined. Press the crust mixture into the sides of the spring-form pan, going up as high as 1 inch along the sides. Then gently press the crust mixture over the bottom of the pan. Be aware that if you press too firmly your crust will be tough. Chill the crust in the refrigerator or freezer for 10 – 15 minutes.

Set up your mixer with a paddle attachment. Beat the cream cheese on medium until soft and smooth, stopping to clean the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Once the cream cheese is smooth add the sugar and salt and beat on medium until evenly smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl.

Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure to evenly incorporate after each addition.

Beat in the cream, vanilla and lemon juice. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the zest. (Note the batter is rather loose.)

Pour the filling into the chilled crust and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes and rotate the pan in you oven. Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until the center is puffed and slightly firm to the touch.

Shut the oven off and open the oven door 6 inches or so. Let the cheesecake set in the cooling oven for 15 – 20 minutes.

Run a thin knife around the edges of the pan and remove the spring-form sides. Refrigerate the cheesecake to cool at least two hours before topping.

Set the oven on broil and position the rack in the middle-top portion of your oven.

Combine the apricot preserve, citrus juice, cognac, dried fruits and pinch of salt in a small sauce pan and heat on a medium-low flame. Simmer on a low flame for 3-4 minutes while the dried fruits reconstitute in the liquids. Pour the fruit topping over the chilled cheesecake and spread evenly.

Sprinkle the fruit topping with brown sugar and transfer to a baking pan. Brown the cheesecake in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on it and rotate the baking pan as needed using a metal tong. Once the sugar begins to brown and caramelize, remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool in the refrigerator.