Vanilla Bean Cheesecake & Ruby Topping

Total Time: 9 hrs Preparation Time: 8 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 12 vanilla cream-filled sandwich style cookies, broken into pieces (vienna fingers, 6 1/2 oz)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut to pieces, room temp
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 1/2 lbs cream cheese, room temp
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 large eggs
• 12 ounces fresh cranberries or 12 ounces frozen cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed
• 1/4 cup water

Recipe

• 1 position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°.
• 2 wrap outside of 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with foil.
• 3 blend cookies, butter and sugar in processor until crumbs clump together.
• 4 press on bottom and halfway up sides of pan. bake crust 10 minutes; set aside.
• 5 begin filling with tip of small sharp knife. scrape seeds from vanilla beans into small saucepan; add beans.
• 6 add cream, bring to simmer over medium heat; set aside uncovered and cool to room temperature discard beans.
• 7 blend the cheese, sugar and salt in food processor until very smooth. stop often to scrape sides of bowl.
• 8 add vanilla cream and blend. add eggs and process 5 seconds, scrape down sides of bowl, process just until blended.
• 9 pour filling into crust and bake until sides puff slightly and center is just set, about 50 minutes.
• 10 place uncovered hot cheesecake into refrigerator to chill thoroughly, at least 6 hours.
• 11 for topping, stir all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
• 12 increase heat and boil 3 minutes. press mixture through sieve set over large bowl, pressing firmly on solids.
• 13 spoon warm topping over chilled cheesecake, spreading evenly.
• 14 chill until topping is set, at least 2 hours.