digest
Short Summary
Main recommendation: Make a no-bake, no-crust, no-egg chocolate orange Coeur à la crème cheesecake served with cherry compote, a French-style dessert that is Kosher for Passover and suitable year-round. The cheesecake is chilled overnight (about 10 hours) in heart-shaped or round ramekins lined with damp cheesecloth, then unmolded and topped with the compote.
Key Points
- The base is two packages of Philadelphia Kosher for Passover cream cheese beaten with two cups of sour cream and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, which uses relatively little sugar, with sweetness coming mainly from the chocolate and compote.
- Chocolate is folded in from 4 oz of cooled, melted semisweet chocolate, with 2 teaspoons of grated fresh orange peel for the orange flavor.
- Coeur à la crème means "heart of the cheese" and is traditionally made in heart-shaped molds, but a classic six-ounce round ramekin is an acceptable substitute.
- The cherry compote is made from frozen pitted cherries, sugar, and water, and can be swapped for any red berries such as strawberries or raspberries.
- The host notes the Philadelphia cream cheese makes a major difference in flavor.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Beat 2 packages Kosher for Passover cream cheese, 2 cups sour cream, and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar at medium speed about 2 minutes until smooth.
- Add 4 oz cooled melted semisweet chocolate, 2 teaspoons grated fresh orange peel, and 1 tablespoon chocolate liqueur (or 1 tablespoon orange juice for a non-alcoholic version), then beat 1 minute until blended.
- Dampen a six-inch-square or larger piece of cheesecloth in water, squeeze out the excess, and press it into each ramekin.
- Divide the batter among the ramekins and gently tap each on the counter to settle the batter, then refrigerate about 10 hours or overnight.
- For the compote, combine 1 cup thawed frozen pitted cherries, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/3 cup water in a pot, bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook about 15 minutes until soft and slightly thickened. Cool completely and refrigerate.
- To serve, invert each ramekin, carefully peel away the cheesecloth, invert onto a plate, remove the cloth, and spoon compote over and around the cheesecake.
- The batter is intentionally not very sweet, because sweetness comes from the chocolate and the cherry compote.
Bottom Line
This is a make-ahead, egg-free, crust-free chocolate orange cheesecake that relies on overnight chilling and a simple cherry compote, making it a practical Passover-friendly dessert.
