Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Kumquats

December 3, 2008

From: The Christmas Table by: Diane Morgan
Serves: Serves 10 to 12

Decadent and scrumptious come to mind when I think about this cheesecake. In the tradition of New York–style cheesecakes, this eggnog version is rich, dense but still light, and creamy beyond belief. The eggnog adds a sweet, sophisticated flavor to the cheesecake and the booze will be noticed, but splendidly so. Years ago, I began using ground Grape-Nuts cereal to create a crumb crust that wouldn’t get soggy, and it is perfect for this cheesecake, adding its own nutty flavor and crunch. Make everything ahead: The cheesecake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month (allow to thaw for 12 hours in the refrigerator). The kumquats are simple to make and will keep for 3 months.

Crust
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups Post Grape-Nuts cereal
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of kosher or sea salt

Filling
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup eggnog
1 tablespoon bourbon
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 tablespoon brandy

Garnish
1/2 cup heavy (whipping) cream, very cold
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Candied Kumquats (recipe follows), optional

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Butter a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Set aside.

To make the crust, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the Grape-Nuts until fine crumbs form, allowing the processor to run for 2 minutes. Add the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt and process to combine. Pour the remaining 4 tablespoons butter through the feed tube and process just until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Turn the crumbs out into the prepared pan and press evenly onto the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides. (I use a flat-bottomed, stainless-steel 1/2-cup measuring cup to help press the crumbs, which prevents the corners from being thicker than the sides.)

Bake the crust until crisp and lightly colored, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool while you prepare the filling. When the crust is hot out of the oven, press the bottom crust with the measuring cup again to smooth it. Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF.

To make the filling, in a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and then the eggs, processing after each addition and then continuing to process until the mixture is thoroughly combined and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Add the vanilla, eggnog, bourbon, rum, and brandy and process until completely smooth and all ingredients are thoroughly combined. (Alternatively, beat the ingredients in a large bowl using an electric mixer.)

Gently pour the cheesecake filling into the prebaked crust. The filling will likely rise above the crust, which is not a problem. Bake until the sides are slightly puffed, about 40 minutes. The center will still be very soft and will jiggle when you shake the pan gently. Turn off the oven, set the oven door ajar, and leave the cheesecake, undisturbed, in the oven for 50 minutes. Then transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack and let cool completely in the pan. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.

To decorate the cheesecake, unlatch the sides of the pan and carefully lift them off. In a medium bowl, combine the cream and confectioners’ sugar and beat with a whisk or electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer the cream to a pastry bag fitted with a medium star tip and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cheesecake, spacing them 1 inch apart. Place a candied kumquat in the spaces between the rosettes.

To serve, dip a sharp knife in hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the cake into slices, dipping the knife and wiping it dry before each cut. Serve on dessert plates with 1 or 2 kumquats placed alongside each slice.

Candied Kumquats
These petite orange gems are a seasonal favorite of mine. They look wonderful on the cheesecake, but are also a good accompaniment to almost any holiday dessert and make a delightful food gift.

12 ounces (about 45) fresh kumquats, stems removed
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water

Using a sharp paring knife, and piercing only the skin, cut 4 evenly spaced lengthwise slits in each kumquat. Place the fruits in a medium saucepan with cold water to cover, bring to a simmer over medium heat, and poach the fruit for 5 minutes. (If you overcook the kumquats at this stage, they will fall apart.) Drain in a colander and set aside.

Using the same pan, combine 1 1/2 cups of the sugar with the water. Stir to dissolve the sugar, add the kumquats, place over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, so the liquid barely simmers and the sugar doesn’t brown, and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes. The fruit will look glazed and still be whole. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the kumquats to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange the fruit so they aren’t touching one another. Let cool for 10 minutes.

Place the remaining 1 cup sugar in a small bowl. One at a time, roll the kumquats in the sugar and return them to the rack, again not touching. Allow the fruits to dry at room temperature overnight. Transfer to individual paper candy cups to prevent them from sticking together, and store an airtight container in a cool, dry place. The candied kumquats will keep for up to 3 months.

Makes about 45

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The Christmas Table

December 2, 2008

The Christmas Table: Recipes and Crafts to Create Your Own Holiday Tradition
by: Diane Morgan

I’ve seen many Christmas cookbooks and until The Christmas Table, few have inspired me. Usually by the time I’ll start flipping through Christmas cookbooks it’s because I’m lacking inspiration for a holiday meal (usually of several people) or that I am frazzled already and am desperately seeking a plan of action. Most recipes in conventional holiday cookbooks are far too complicated to undertake during this extremely busy time of year. This is where The Christmas Table stands out from the ‘other’ holiday books. The recipes are thoughtfully divided into themed menus and categories such as “Christmas Breakfast” and “Cookie Exchange” to name a few. Helping you pinpoint the kind of recipe you’re looking for. I personally can’t stand cooking without a photo of the recipe. Diane Morgan has made sure that nearly every recipe has a photo accompanying it through the book, which itself is a handsomely put together creation that I admit to leaving out on my coffee table purely for the look of it.

Some of my particular favorite elements of The Christmas Table are the “Leftover Favorites” and “Christmas Menus & Timetables”. I’ve yet to find a cookbook with timetables, a woman after my own heart! I have three fairly large holiday celebrations coming up this month and I have decided to road test a few recipes from this book. I’ll get back to you early in the new year to let you know how they came out.

I highly recommend The Christmas Table as a great Christmas present, or to pick up as a gift to yourself if you are searching for holiday cooking and baking ideas.

Review by: Andrea Foodie

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Cookbook Author: Diane Morgan

December 1, 2008

Diane Morgan is the award-winning cookbook author and food writer living in Portland, Oregon. She is best known for: Grill Every Day, Delicious Dips, Midnight Munchies and The Thanksgiving Table. Her newest publication The Christmas Table is a beautiful and colorful collection of recipes and crafts that inspires everyone to create a traditional Christmas holiday. To learn more about Diane Morgan or for information about her online cooking school visit her website Dianemorgancooks.com

Eight Questions with Diane Morgan

Q: What inspired you to write a cookbook about traditional Christmas cuisine?

Having written The Thanksgiving Table and enjoyed the process of exploring a holiday in depth—its traditions, foods, history, and modern interpretations—it was a natural follow up to write The Christmas Table. Drawing from my own family traditions and learning about others was very inspiring. Plus, the chance to develop recipes over a year’s time and taste all those yummy foods, desserts, cookies and sweets was irresistible!

Q: What was most enjoyable about the process of writing The Christmas Table?

I think it was twofold: First, the recipe development is always exciting and broadens my knowledge and skills. Second, taking time to research the history of sugar and traditions of serving goose, for instance, is interesting and rewarding. In addition, as a writer and cooking school teacher, I love to share tips and describe complex techniques in a way that is accessible to the home cook. My recipe for Buche de Noel took days of research on my part and then development to provide a recipe for the home cook that was broken down into doable steps. It’s a fabulous recipe!

Q: What are some of the staple foods someone should have on hand during the holidays?

I think for the pantry, chicken stock, canned pumpkin, flour, brown and granulated sugar, vanilla, sweet and savory spices—cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, thyme, bay leaves—is a good start. It helps to have onions, garlic, celery and carrots on hand. Plenty of butter, too!

Q: Did you cook much in your childhood?

Not really. My grandmothers were amazing cooks and bakers—everything was made from scratch. My mother was a good cook and made almost everything from scratch and we always had sit-down family dinners during the weeknights. Friday night was pizza night and Saturday night was usually when my parents went out so we could have TV dinners! My father loved food and I think I really inherited his passion for eating. I remember all the vacations when we would look for local restaurants and explore the cuisine of the region—especially in the south since he grew up in Savannah, Georgia.

Q: How do you organize your recipes in your kitchen at home? On a computer, recipe cards, scraps of paper?

Before computers, I organized my recipes on index cards and bought long files to keep them in. I still have those. Then I created big, fat notebooks with dividers and plastic sleeves to slip in recipes I clipped from magazines and newspapers. I still have those, too. Now, I have files on my computer and, of course, all my books. I keep telling myself that one day I am going to reorganize all my recipes, but it hasn’t happened yet!

Q: What is your favorite food-related Christmas memory?

My mother’s side of the family—all 26 of us—gathered at my grandparents’ house every December 25th for a big holiday dinner. Though my mother and aunts brought side dishes, it was the smell of the turkey roasting when we arrived at my grandparents’ front door that is so memorable. All the grandchildren played and sang and anticipated the gift exchange which happened after dinner but before dessert.

Q: What kitchen utensil could you not live without during your holiday cooking/baking?

That’s a hard question to answer! I have a kitchen full of utensils I depend on! My whisk for gravy, my ricer for making mashed potatoes, my roasting pan for either a turkey, goose, prime rib or crown roast of pork are so essential. I guess I am spoiled with the accumulation of tools and kitchen equipment I have accumulated over the years. Plus, I need my springform pan for the fabulous eggnog cheesecake from my cookbook.

Q: What is your best cooking tip for a novice?

I think making lists and organizing your cooking tasks is so helpful. I write out a menu. I make grocery lists. I divide my cooking tasks into doable timeframes and write out the plan. I also double check that I have everything I need for the cooking tasks. If a recipe calls for a 9-by-13-inch casserole and I don’t have one, then I buy one, borrow one, or figure out another pan that might work. All this planning pays off when a big meal is planned. Plus, it is very rewarding to cross completed tasks off a list!

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