PUREE: Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and cook until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to processor. Add vanilla; puree until smooth. Strain into medium bowl; discard solids. Cover with plastic and chill at least 6 hours.
CRUST: Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Wrap outside of pan with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Blend cookies, sugar, and cinnamon in processor. Add melted butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of pan. Chill crust while preparing filling.
FILLING: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, whipping cream, and vanilla.
Spread ⅓ of filling over prepared crust. Dollop ⅓ of cranberry puree atop filling. Repeat layering of filling and puree 2 more times. Using butter knife, make a few zigzag cuts through batter to swirl puree and create marbled design [1].
Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Place in oven and bake cheesecake until puffed around edges, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour, leaving oven door slightly ajar.
Transfer cake to rack. Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool completely.
Remove foil from pan sides. Cover cake and chill overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Remove pan sides. Serve cake with Cranberry-Raspberry Compote.
In addition to being a beautiful crowning touch for the cheesecake, this compote is great over vanilla-flavored frozen yogurt or thick and creamy plain Greek yogurt. Makes about 2 cups
1 12-ounce package frozen raspberries, thawed
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
¾ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until cranberries burst and mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool slightly. Stir in vanilla. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill until cold, at least 6 hours.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Key limes are round, golf-ball-size limes from Florida that are usually more fragrant and juicy than common Persian limes, with skin that is thinner and more yellow. They’re the star players in Key lime pie, and this cheesecake is a denser, richer version of that Florida classic. Key limes are increasingly available in the produce section of supermarkets and at specialty foods stores. The peak season is late spring and summer. If you can’t find them, you can use the juice and peel of regular limes. 12 servings
Crust
⅔ cup unbleached all purpose flour
⅔ cup sweetened flaked coconut
⅓ cup sugar
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
3 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup sour cream
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh Key lime juice
2 teaspoons finely grated Key lime peel
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
Tropical Dried-Fruit Chutney (see recipe)
CRUST: Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir flour, coconut, and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Drizzle melted butter over and stir until mixture sticks together. Press mixture firmly onto bottom (not sides) of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Bake crust until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool crust. Wrap outside of pan with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil.
FILLING: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Beat in sour cream, then sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in lime juice, lime peel, and vanilla. Pour batter over crust. Place wrapped cheesecake in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Cover cake pan (not roasting pan) loosely with foil.
Bake 1 hour. Uncover and continue to bake until cake is just set in center when pan is gently shaken, about 20 minutes longer. Remove cake from water, remove foil, and place directly into refrigerator; chill uncovered overnight.
Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Slice cake; serve with Tropical Dried-Fruit Chutney.
Cooking dried fruits in Sherry and adding pineapple juice off the heat adds luscious moistness to the fruit; adding chopped mint and cilantro lends a sweet-savory touch. Dried mango, papaya, and pineapple are available at natural foods stores and specialty markets. Star anise, a star-shaped, slightly licorice-flavored seedpod, is available in the spice section of some supermarkets and at specialty food stores and Asian markets. Makes about 3 cups
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cup imported dry Sherry
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole star anise
1 cup ½-inch dice dried mango
1 cup ½-inch dice dried papaya
½ cup ½-inch dice dried pineapple
½ cup raisinsPineapple juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into heavy medium saucepan. Add bean, Sherry, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Add all dried fruits; return to simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer until Sherry is almost evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in enough pineapple juice by tablespoonfuls to moisten chutney. Transfer to bowl, cover, and chill until cold, at least 3 hours.
DO AHEAD: Chutney can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.
Remove vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks, and star anise from chutney. Mix in mint and cilantro and serve.
The Tropics get dressed up: An intensely vanilla-flavored cheesecake—prepared with two vanilla beans—is covered with a guava gelatin topping and accompanied by a refreshing salad of mango and lime (with a splash of rum to up the Caribbean influence). Because the cheesecake needs to chill after baking and again after the guava topping is added, begin preparing this two days ahead. 8 to 10 servings
CrustNonstick vegetable oil spray
1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs