Cheesecake is my favorite dessert in the whole wide world. I know, I say this pretty much every time I make desserts, but seriously I love any type of cheesecake. However the smooth, light and creamy texture is a must for all of them. This creamy and rich yet tangy cheese filling with sweet and mildly tart pomegranate sauce and crunchy pistachio crust all create a combination of flavors and textures that is truly unique in its tastiness.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 16 ounce carton sour cream
- 1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
- 1 1/2 cups pomegranate seeds
- 1 16 ounce bottle pomegranate juice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl beat butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Beat until combined. Add 1 egg; beat well. Beat in 1-1/4 cups flour until combined. Divide dough in half. Cover and refrigerate one portion.
2. Spread unrefrigerated dough half on bottom of ungreased 10-inch springform pan with sides removed, spreading dough to edges. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely.
When cool, attach sides of pan. Press chilled dough onto sides to a height of 1-3/4 inches, using a thin metal spatula to spread dough.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. For filling, in an extra-large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in the remaining flour on low speed until smooth.
Add remaining 3 eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla all at once, beating on low speed just until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream, the lemon peel, and 3/4 cup of the pomegranate seeds.
4. Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 65 minutes or until edges are puffed and center jiggles slightly when gently shaken. Remove from oven.
5. Stir together remaining sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Spread sour cream mixture over top of baked cheesecake. Return to oven; bake for 10 minutes more. Remove from oven. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen crust from sides of pan. Cool for 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan; cool completely. Cover; chill 4 hours or overnight.
6. For sauce, in a medium saucepan bring pomegranate juice to boiling; reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, until reduced to 1 cup (10 to 12 minutes). Stir together 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Add to juice. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.
Transfer to a medium bowl; cover surface with clear plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature. Store, covered, in refrigerator until serving time.
7. Remove cheesecake and Pomegranate Sauce from refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Spoon some sauce over top of cheesecake; pile remaining 3/4 cup pomegranate seeds in center of cheesecake. To serve, slice cheesecake. Pass remaining sauce. Makes 16 servings.
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