Cranberry Layered Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

• ½ cup dried cranberries
• 2 cups cake flour
• ½ cup ground almonds
• ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ cup cold butter, cubed

Cranberry Layer

• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ¼ cup cranberry juice
• 2 ½ cups fresh or frozen en cranberries
• Cream Cheese Layer
• 32 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten

Whipped Cream Topping

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
2. Grease a 10 inch spring form pan.
3. Use a food processor to finely chop dried cranberries.
4. Add flour, almonds and confectioners sugar and salt and process until blended. Add butter and pulse until a crumbly texture. Press into pan and bake crust for 10 minutes.

Filling

1. Over the stove in a small saucepan combine ¾ cup sugar and cornstarch; stir in cranberry juice until smooth. Add berries and cook until thick and bubbling. Set aside. Use a slotted spoon to take out several whole cranberries which will be used for garnish just before serving.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat just until combined. Pour half of batter into crust. Spread ¾ cup berry mixture over batter; top with remaining batter.
3. Bake for 45 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to 250˚F and bake 25-30 minutes until center is almost set.
5. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Spread remaining berry mixture over the top. Refrigerate overnight.
6. When ready to serve, prepare whipping cream by beating cream with sugar and almond extract until stiff peaks form.
7. Pipe on top of cheesecake and top with cranberries that were set aside for garnish.