Easter Cheesecake
The Crust
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • butter, soft, for greasing pan.
  • heavy duty 18 inch wide aluminium foil.
Lightly butter a 9 inch springform pan and wrap outside bottom and sides with aluminium foil. Use extra heavy 18 inch wide foil. Do not attempt to use regular cheap light weight foil or to make a "seam"; it will leak and spoil the cake.
In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs (Bruce refers to this as "sawdust") and cardamom. Stir in melted butter with a fork until crumbs are evenly moist. Press onto bottom and partway up sides of pan. Watch the crust isn't overly thick at the bottom corner.  Refrigerate until filling is ready.
The Filling
  • 3 blocks (8 oz) cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp flour
  • 1/2 cup chopped candied fruit
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped candied ginger
Preheat oven to 325°F. If cheese is still cold and hard, soften it in the microwave for a few seconds. Then beat with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 2 at a time; then beat in vanilla and flour. Stir in candied fruit and ginger.
Pour filling into prepared crust. Place the wrapped pan in a shallow roasting pan in oven. Pour in enough boiling water to come about 1 inch up the side of the springform pan.

Bake for 1 1/2 hour, then remove pan and water from oven. Let set until the water cools, maybe a half an hour or so, then remove springform from water. Remove foil, loosen springform very slightly and run a knife around to loosen crust.

Tighten springform again, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

The Orange Sauce
  • 2 oranges
  • orange juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp corn starch
  • 2 Tbsp grated candied ginger
Grate 2 tsp peel from orange, then cut in half and remove orange segments and reserve. Squeeze juice from membranes and add orange juice to make 1/2 cup. Avoid having membrane in the juice; strain if necessary. Add sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Stir constantly while heating over high heat until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Stir in orange segments.

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