Chocolate Orange Cranberry Cheesecake

This is a variation on my Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake and a favourite flavour combination for the Yule season.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
  
• 1/3 cup melted butter
  
• 2 lbs. cream cheese
  
• 2 Tbsp. corn starch
  
• 2 cups granulated sugar
  
• 3 eggs
  
• 1 cup sour cream
  
• zest of one large orange
  
• 3 oz. orange liquer such as Cointreau
  
• 8 oz. fine bittersweet chocolate, melted
  
• 3 cups fresh cranberries
  
• 1 cup water

Directions:

To make the crust:

Combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter.
Press onto the bottom of a greased 9 or 10 inch round springform pan.
Bake for 8 minutes at 350 F.

To make the filling:

Beat the cream cheese until soft.
Add 1 cup sugar and corn starch and beat until smooth.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Beat in sour cream, orange zest and liquer, then melted chocolate.
Pour filling over crust and bake at 350 F for 75 minutes (or until set).
Allow to cool completely (8 hours) before garnishing.

To garnish:

Heat water and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan until sugar dissolves.
Add cranberries and bring to a boil.
Continue boiling gently until cranberries pop (approximately 5 minutes).
Remove cranberry sauce from heat and allow to cool but not set.
Spread cooled cranberry sauce evenly over top of chilled cake.
Refrigerate until sauce is set.

To serve:

Carefully remove cheesecake from springform pan and place on serving platter.
Enjoy with many friends!