A limited edition Yeo Valley yoghurt flavour inspired me to make this cake – the blood orange and caramel yoghurt had become a staple in my weekly groceries, so I was more than mildly disappointed when it disappeared from the supermarket shelves.

No matter, this delicious blood orange and caramel cheesecake more than makes up for it!

Although not entirely opposed, I wouldn’t encourage eating it as a breakfast food….

   

The chocolate dipped candied orange slices are not necessary, but they are so easy, and would make a great home-made Valentine’s Day gift.

Blood Orange & Caramel Cheesecake

This recipe makes two 4″ cheesecakes, each one large enough for two people… well, should be, really…

You could also make one 6″ cake with this recipe.

Base

Ingredients

1 blood orange (zest only, keep the juice to use later)
85g plain sweet biscuits
25g ground almond
10g plain flour
10g brown sugar
40g soft butter

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C/350° F/Gas Mark 4.

Place the orange zest, biscuits, almond, flour and brown sugar in a food processor and pulse until you have a fine crumb.

Add the soft butter and pulse again until the mixture comes together.

 

Press the mixture into the base of  your tin – I used two deep, 4″ loose bottom cake tins.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool for a further 10 minutes before placing in the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Filling

Ingredients

1 blood orange
150g  (2/3 cup) caster sugar
70ml water
75g (1/3 cup) brown sugar
400g cream cheese
2 small eggs
1 egg yolk
15g plain flour
150ml crème fraîche

Method

Leave your oven at 180°C/350° F/Gas Mark 4.

Place the caster sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat and continue to simmer until the mixture turns pale golden in colour.

  

Slice the oranges, removing the pips but keeping the skin on, then add to the simmering caramel once it has turned golden. Simmer for a further 10-15 minutes.

  

Remove from the heat and place in a food processor. Pulse a few times, then push through a sieve back into the saucepan, leaving a thick liquid without pulp.

  

Add in the brown sugar and bring mixture to a boil again, then remove from heat and quickly beat in 125g cream cheese until smooth.

Beat in remaining cream cheese, then add the eggs and the yolk, beating after each addition.

Sift in the flour, stirring through lightly, then add the crème fraîche and beat until mixture is smooth.

Grease the sides of your cake tins with butter, then wrap each tin entirely in foil. Be sure there are no tears or gaps in the foil, as you will be cooking the cakes in a water bath.

Fill your cake tins with the cheesecake mixture, leaving about an inch at the top.

Place the cakes into a deep baking tray, then put the entire tray into the oven. Fill the tray with boiling water, about half way up the cake tin if you can.

Lower oven temperature to 165°C/325° F/Gas Mark 3 and bake for 45 minutes, or until cheesecakes are set, but still slightly wobbly in the centre.

Turn the oven off, leaving the cheesecakes inside with the door ajar to cool.

Once cooled to room temperature, place in the refrigerator to finish setting.

Blood Orange Mousse

Ingredients

1 blood orange
90g caster sugar
120ml water
50g cream cheese
90ml double cream
1 egg white
1 tsp sugar

Method

Slice the orange in half from end to end (lengthwise) then lay the cut side down on your work surface. Using a sharp knife, cut into about 1/2cm slices.

Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to boil, then add the sliced oranges.

Leave the oranges to boil in the syrup for about 15 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Leave syrup to boil for about five minutes longer, then remove from heat and immediately beat in cream cheese. I used a little red food colouring for my mousse, so if you want to use this add it in now. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Beat the double cream until stiff peaks form, taking care not to over beat, then set aside.

Beat the egg white until it starts to foam, then add in the sugar and continue beating until you are left with stiff peaks.

Fold the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream, then gently fold in the egg white. Regrigerate for at least two hours before piping on to your cheesecakes – I used a 1M open star tip for this design.

Candied Orange Slices

Ingredients

Orange slices left over from above
100g dark chocolate

Method

Place your baking tray of orange slices in the oven (gas mark 4) for 10-15 minutes, then set aside to cool.

Regrigerate for a few hours, until you can pick up the slices and they still hold their shape. They will still be slightly tacky to the touch.

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler, then dip one end of the candied orange slices in the chocolate to coat.

Set aside to cool and set.

Caramel Blood Orange Sauce

Yield: about 1 cup of sauce

Ingredients

120ml double cream
100g brown sugar
30g caster sugar
90g butter
1 blood orange (juice only, from base recipe above)

Method

Melt the cream, brown sugar, caster sugar and butter in a saucepan and stir until all combined.

Stir in the blood orange juice, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.

Set aside and stir occasionally as the caramel cools.

Serve the cheesecake at room temperature – will be delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and the caramel sauce!

Enjoy… x