Marx Foods Recipe: Orangelicious Bourbon Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Orangelicious Bourbon Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Using a gourmet bourbon vanilla bean from Marx Foods I created this cheesecake to share with my family this past Christmas eve. It almost tasted like the classic Orange Julius which is what I was going for!

Serves: 12

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Cool: 40 minutes

Chill: 4-24 hours

Ingredients:

2 c. graham cracker, crushed fine (about 30 crackers)

2 T. sugar

6 T. unsalted butter, melted

4 oranges, zested (one for crust, two for filling and one for sour cream)

3 (8oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

1 1/3 c. sugar

3 eggs

2/3 c. freshly squeezed orange juice

1 Marx Foods Bourbon Vanilla Bean, split and flesh removed

1 (8oz.) container sour cream

1 T. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla extract

Directions:

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For the crust combine graham crackers, sugar, melted butter and the zest from one orange in a food processor and pulse until ground fine and evenly blended. Press crust into bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch spring-form pan. Bake for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing filling.

    For the filling using an electric mixer beat cream cheese until fluffy about 2 minutes. Slowly add sugar and continue to beat until smooth.

    Add eggs one at a time beating each until fully incorporated.  Finally add orange juice, zest from two oranges and vanilla bean flesh and beat just until combined. 

    Pour filling into crust and smooth top using a spatula. Wrap two sheest of foil up and around all sides of the spring-form pan and place into a large baking dish. To prevent cheesecake from getting wet carefully pour enough hot water into baking dish to come up to the middle.

    Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until outer edges appear set but still slighly jiggly in the center. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Using a thin knife run around edges to loosen from sides and continue to cool another 30 minutes. Cover and chill in fridge for two hours. 

    In a bowl combine sour cream, sugar, vanilla and zest from one orange and beat until evenly mixed.  Cafreully spoon and smear across top of cheesecake, cover and continue to chill at least another two hours or over night. 

*For more information on Marx Foods gourmet food products visit, http://www.marxfoods.com/