Mascarpone Cheesecake with Cranberry Gelée
(Makes one 9-inch cheesecake)

The combination of Mascarpone cheese (an Italian triple cream cheese) and American cream cheese produces a tart, velvety smooth cheesecake that is nicely paired with a cranberry jelly and a crunchy pecan crust. This is an adult dessert; not sweet, but sophisticated. Cranberries contain a lot of natural pectin, and will create a thick, tasty jelly without any added thickeners. If you don't want to use the port in the jelly, you can replace it with cranberry or apple juice.

For the crust:
2 tablespoons unsalted European Style butter
or regular butter
pinch salt
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and finely ground

For the filling:
1 pound (16 ounces) mascarpone cheese
8 ounces cream cheese (not non-fat)
1-1/2 cups créme fraiche
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
1 tablespoon orange liqueur
2 tablespoons strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablesppons cake flour
4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the cranberry gelée:
2 packages (12 ounces each) fresh cranberries
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup port wine
2-1/4 cups granulated sugar

Preheat a conventional oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set the oven racks so one is in the center of the oven. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray and line the bottom with parchment. Brush the parchment with softened butter.

Make the crust. In a small bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter, salt, brown sugar, and heavy cream on low speed for 30 seconds, and then increase the speed to medium high and beat for 2 more minutes. Add the flour and walnuts and beat on low speed to combine them thoroughly. Spread the crust into the prepared pan, spreading it out evenly and pressing it down with the bottom of a flat glass or dry measuring cup. Bake the crust in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool.

Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make the filling. Beat the mascarpone, cream cheese, créme fraiche, sugar, and salt on low speed for 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low for 30 seconds after each egg has been added. Add the liqueuer, lemon juice, cake flour, and vanilla, and beat on low speed until thoroughly mixed, about I minute.

Wrap the springform pan with heavy-duty foil and place the wrapped springform pan in a roasting pan that is large enough to hold it, and not taller than the edges of the springform pan. Boil a pot of water.

Pour the filling over the baked crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Place the roasting pan on the oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to come up halfway on the sides of the springform pan. Be very careful not to get any of the water into the cheesecake batter. Bake in the preheated oven, at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, for 1 hour and 50 minutes to 2 hours, until the cake is lightly browned and gently firm. Remove the cake carefully from the water bath and set it on a wire cooling rack.

Make the gelée. Bring the cranberries, water and wine to a boil in a heavy, large pot, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the berries have all popped and are soft, about 5 to 7 minutes, crushing the berries with a potato masher.  Pour the berries into a strainer set over a large bowl. Press on the berries with a ladle, to extract all of the juices. Discard the berries. Return the juices to the pot and add the sugar. Cook over medium high heat for 5 minutes. The mixture will be very thick. Let it cool while the cake cools.

When the cake is cool, pour the gelée over the top and smooth it with a spatula. Any extra gelée can be refrigerated and served with roasted poultry or pork. Cover the cake with plastic wrap and set it in the refrigerator to chill.

When ready to serve the cheesecake, cut it with a knife that has been dipped in hot water.

Make-ahead tips: The gelée can be made up to a week ahead, stored in a tightly covered plastic container in the fridge. Reheat it, stirring with a whisk until smooth, to reuse it. This cake can be made ahead and refrigerated, covered tightly with plastic wrap, for three days. You can freeze the cheesecake, without the gelée, wrapped tightly with foil, for up to 2 months.

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