Gingersnap and Orange Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 3/4 cups crushed gingersnap cookies*
- 5 tablespoons melted butter
Cheesecake
- 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, soft at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 16 ounces (1 pound) sour cream
- 4 tablespoons orange zest (no white bitter pith)
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- To make crust: Crush gingersnaps with a rolling pin to obtain 1 3/4 cups. Add melted butter and combine well. Press onto the bottom of a 9 inch diameter spring form pan and place in the oven for 12 minutes or golden. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F
- Place springform pan on 3 layers of aluminum foil and wrap the outside of the pan tightly with foil. Ensure that no water could penetrate thru the foil. Place in a roasting pan and set aside.
- Blend cream cheese and sugar on lowest speed, alternatively mix by using a hand held spatula until no lumps remain. Scrape bowl well. Add one egg at a time waiting for previous added egg to be fully incorporated, scrape bowl and beater between additions.
- Add sour cream, orange zest and fresh grated ginger and pour batter into the springform pan.
- Pour water into the roasting pan about one inch high and place in the oven.
- Bake until the center of the cake no longer trembles when tapping the sides of the pan, about 2 hours.
- Allow to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Run a sharp knife around the edge and bottom of the cheesecake and cut into desired size.
