Junior's White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake with Candis' Hazelnut Crust

Hazelnut Crust (This is not Junior's Crust!)

For 9” springform pan

1 c. chopped hazelnuts

6 T. melted butter

½ c. sugar

½ c. flour

Pulse nuts in food processor until fine. Add in butter, sugar and flour. Press into bottom of generously buttered 9" springform pan. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Then fill with cheesecake filling and bake according to recipe.

Junior's White Chocolate & Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

10 oz. raspberries, washed and dried (puree to yield 3/4 c.)

5 T. cornstarch

8 oz. white chocolate

Three 8 oz. packages cream cheese (use only full fat) softened

1 1/3 c. sugar

1 T. vanilla extract

2 extra-large eggs (I used 2 large eggs + 1 egg white)

2/3 c. heavy or whipping cream

1/2 pint fresh raspberries (for garnish)

White chocolate curls (for garnish)

Stir 1 T. cornstarch into 3/4 c. raspberry puree and set aside. It will thicken slightly as it stands. Melt white chocolate and set aside.

Put one package of cream cheese, 1/3 c. sugar, and the remaining 4T. of cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Beat in the remaining cream cheese, one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 c. sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the melted chocolate, then the cream, just until completely blended. Be careful not to overmix!

Gently spoon the batter on top of the crust. Using a teaspoon, drop the raspberry puree in spoonfuls on top of the batter, pushing it down slightly as you go. Using a thin, pointed knife, cut through the batter a few times in a "figure 8" design, just until red swirls appear (don't mix in the puree completely or the cake will turn pink).

Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1" up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan with red raspberry swirls, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 2 hours (just walk away-don't move it!) Leave the cake in the pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold, preferable overnight or at least 4 hours.

To decorate, release and remove the sides of the springform pan, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a cake plate. Decorate the top with a pinwheel of raspberries, standing the berries with their points up and mounding a few extra berries in the center. Shower the top with white chocolate curls. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cover any leftover cake and refrigerate, or remove the fresh berries, then wrap and freeze for up to one month.

Junior's Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 crust recipe

four 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, at room temperature

1 2/3 c sugar

1/4 c cornstarch

1 T vanilla

2 extra large eggs (3 large eggs)

3/4 c heavy or whipping cream

1 c canned pumpkin puree

1 recipe for whipped cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter the bottom and sides of the 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Make and bake the crust and leave in the pan. Keep the oven on.

Put one package of cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the corn starch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, on package a ta time, scraping after each one. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, on at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. Do not overmix.

Remove 1 1/2 cups of the batter and set aside. On low speed, blend the pumpkin and the 1 t of pumpkin pie spice into the remaining batter. Gently spoon the pumpkin batter on top of the crust. Using a teaspoon, drop the white batter in small spoonfuls on top of the pumpkin batter, pushing it down slightly as you go. Using a thin, pointed knife, cut through the batter a few times in a figure 8 design, just until white swirls appear.

Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 in up the sides. Bake at 350 degrees, until the edges are light golden brown and the top has golden and tan swirls, about 1 1/4 hours.Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and let cool for 2 hours. Leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 4 hours. Top with whipped cream. Cut with a very sharp, pointed knife.