Fruit Cake Cheesecake

This Fruit Cake Cheesecake is the perfect union between a traditional Holiday favorite and a timeless classic, A match made in heaven!

Everything about it is pure perfection: from the creamy, rich texture of the cake, to the generous amount of candied fruits, and the distinctive aromas and spices of traditional Christmas treats.

Even its appearance totally rivals with that of the most luxurious fruit cakes out there. I can guarantee you that this heavenly dessert will, from now on, be a part of the Holiday tradition in this household!

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST
•50 ginger snap cookies (350g | 12.35oz)
•1/2 cup (120g | 4oz) butter, melted
•1/4 cup (40g |1.4oz) light brown sugar
•2 tbsp molasses

FOR THE CHEESE MIXTURE
•3- (227g | 8oz) packages full fat cream cheese
•3/4 cup (150g | 5.3oz) light brown sugar
•1 tsp ground cinnamon
•1/2 tsp ground allspice
•1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
•1/2 tsp salt (I use Himalayan salt)
•pinch ground clove

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•1/4 cup (60ml) brandy
•2 tbsp molasses
•1 tbsp pure vanilla extract, (store-bought or homemade)
•3-4 drops pure orange extract

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•3 large eggs
•1/2 cup (180g | 2.3oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
•3 tbsp corn starch

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•1-1/2 cups (240g | 8.5oz) candied diced fruit mix
•1-1/2 cup (270g | 9.5oz) candied cherry pineapple mix
•1 cup (135g | 4.75oz) currants
•1 cup (100g | 3.5oz) pecans, coarsely chopped
•1 cup (135g | 4.75oz) pitted dates, coarsely chopped

TO GARNISH THE CAKE
•1-1/2 cup (270g | 9.5oz) candied cherry pineapple mix
•1/2 cup (80g | 2.8oz) candied diced fruit mix
•1/2 cup (50g | 1.75oz) pecan halves

Instructions

TO MAKE THE CRUST
1.Line the bottom of a 9” springform pan with parchment paper. To do that, remove the ring and cover the bottom with parchment paper. Fold the excess paper back under the plate and, while holding it in place with one hand, put the ring back in its position with the other hand. Bring the excess paper back from under the pan but do not cut it off.
2.Place the ginger snap cookies in the bowl of your food processor; process until reduced to fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, brown sugar and molasses and resume processing until well combined.
3.Press the mixture firmly at the bottom and all the way up the sides of the prepared baking pan. Set aside.

TO MAKE THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
4.Preheat your oven to 350°F and bring about 4 cups of water to the boil; you'll be using it later to make a bain-marie for your cake.
5.Combine the candied fruits, currants, dates and pecans together in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
6.Combine the cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt and clove in the bowl of your food processor. Process until the mixture is super smooth and creamy and completely lump free, about 3 minutes. Stop the motor to scrape the sides once or twice to make sure every last bit gets incorporated.
7.Add the brandy, molasses, vanilla extract and orange extract and resume processing until well incorporated.
8.Add the eggs, flour and cornstarch all at once and resume processing until well combined, about 30 seconds. Stop to scrape the sides once or twice if necessary.
9.Remove the S blade from the bowl and carefully stir in the reserved candied fruits, then pour this batter into the prepared crust and spread evenly.
10.Place the pan over a piece of aluminum foil and fold the foil over the pan so the exterior is completely covered; this will prevent water from seeping into the pan. Now place this rig into a roasting pan and delicately pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan so it goes up about 3/4 of the way up the side of said roasting pan. Place that rig onto the middle rack of your oven and bake your cake for 25 minutes at 350°F. Then, decrease the temperature to 250°F and continue baking your cake for another 65-70 minutes, or until the cake is set.
11.Turn off the oven and crack the door open. Leave the cake in the oven, undisturbed, for about 1 hour, or until it's cool enough to be handled with your bare hands, and then slide it out of the oven.
12.When the cheesecake is completely cooled, place it in the refrigerator uncovered until completely chilled, at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.

TO GARNISH THE CAKE
13.Combine the candied fruits and pecans together in a bowl. Mix well and pour over the chilled cheesecake, then spread and distribute them evenly across the top, pressing down delicately with a rubber spatula to make them all nice and flat.
14.Technically, you could serve the cake immediately, but to help the candied fruits stay in place better, it's best to weigh them down for a bit. To do that, cover the cake with a piece of aluminum foil, place an 8" cake board over the foil and then place a weight over that board, such as a stack of small plates. Put the cake back in the fridge, preferably until the next day.
15.When ready to serve, take the cake out of the fridge, carefully remove it from the pan and place it onto a cake plate or board.
16.Serve chilled and slice with a sharp chef knife. Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to about a week.