Dessert Recipes #2: Cheesecake with Orange Jelly

Starting from my tested lemon cheesecake, I tried to change it balanceing the orange sour and fresh taste with the dry and pungent cinnamon aroma. I would like to immediately tell you that cinnamon, which not everyone likes, is quite strong, so try this dessert only if you appreciate its aroma and flavor. Otherwise you could also reduce or remove it.

Furthermore, to make a cheescake, it is important to have an openable springform cake mold, because the latter must be removed once the cake has solidified. The execution of this cheesecake consists of three phases: the biscuit base, the cheese cream and the orange jelly.

Ingredients:
For the base (for 22-24 cm mold diamenter)):

• 180 g of dry biscuits
• 80 g of butter

For the cream:

• 400 g of Philadelphia (or other fresh cheese)
• 100 g of powdered sugar
• Half orange zest and juice (medium-sized)
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder
• 200 ml of whipping cream
• two tablespoons of additional whipping cream
• 10 g of gelatin sheets

For orange jelly:

• Half orange zest
• One orange juice
• 200 ml of water
• 60 g of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (or potato starch)
• A pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

1. Let's start with the base, by finely chopping the biscuits and pouring them over the previously melted butter (in microwave or bain-marie). Mix and pour the mixture in the mold, with the help of a spoon. Press the mixture on the bottom to obtain a compact and smooth base. Place in the freezer for 15 min.
2. Start preparing the cream, softening the gelatin by soaking it in cold water for about 10 min. Meanwhile, place the Philadelphia, 40g of powdered sugar, the half orange juice and zest in a bowl and mix it until a smooth and soft cream is obtained.
3. In another bowl pour the 200 ml of cream and whip it together with the remaining 60g of powdered sugar.
4. In a saucepan, lightly heat the two tablespoons of cream and melt the well-squeezed jelly inside it.
5. Add the jelly mixture and the whipped cream to the cheese cream and gently incorporate them.
7. Pour the obtained mixture on the biscuit base, level it and place it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
8. Half an hour before removing the cake from the refrigerator, prepare the final jelly topping. Put the sugar, cornstarch, orange zest and the cinnamon pinch in a saucepan. Add water and orange juice, little by little, stirring in the meantime.
9. Turn on the heat and make it thicken, continuing to stir it a whisk. When the jelly is thick, turn off the heat. Let the gelatine cool, then pour it evenly on the cake.
10. Put the cake in the fridge for at least 4-5 hours before serving it.