MBP Photograhy
Oreo-peach cheesecake
Peach cheesecake on an Oreo cookie crust? Oh, yeah. It’s just as sweet and decadent as it sounds.
Photo by Mark Boughton courtesy of Gibbs Smith
Serves 10–12
Crust
1-3/4 cups Oreo cookie crumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
Filling
3 peaches, peeled and sliced
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla or Amaretto
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Glaze
½ cup peach preserves or jam
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350 F. Blend cookie crumbs, butter and sugar. Press firmly against the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the bottom and outside of the pan with foil.
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine peaches 2 tablespoons sugar and lemon juice. Cook until sugar dissolves and peaches are juicy, about 5 minutes. Cool and drain.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add remaining sugar, then add in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and lemon zest and beat until smooth. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan, followed by peaches, and top with remaining batter.
Place cheesecake pan in another larger pan and place in preheated oven. Fill the larger pan halfway with hot water. Bake for 60–70 minutes or until slightly firm in the center. Turn off oven, leaving door ajar about 8 inches, and allow to cool in oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and cool completely in pan. Chill in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.
In a small saucepan, combine preserves and lemon juice and stir over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Using the back of a wooden spoon, strain into a small bowl. Remove sides of springform pan and spread glaze over top of cheesecake. Chill until glaze is set, 2–4 hours.
___
Tips and techniques
Frozen can be as good as fresh
If you want to enjoy the experience of biting into a “fresh” peach in the dead of winter, or want the flavor and consistency of fresh peaches in sweet or savory recipes year-round, frozen peaches are a fantastic option. When you thaw them, it’s just like biting into a fresh peach—they taste just like peaches picked off the tree. Here’s how to freeze them at home.
Line sheet pans (as many as you need to hold your peaches and will fit in your freezer) with parchment paper. Peel peaches (or not) and slice, quarter or halve. Sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Spread on sheet pans. Put in freezer and allow peaches to harden—at least 4 hours or more. Remove from freezer. Seal peaches in Ziploc or vacuum-sealed bags and return to freezer. If you use a Ziploc bag, the peaches should be consumed within one year. Peaches in vacuum-sealed bags can last up to three years.
For baking, do not thaw the peaches—use in the frozen state. To eat or use in cooked dishes, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Peeling made easy
It doesn’t surprise me that “Give peaches the slip” is one of my most popular how-to cooking videos. This time-saving trick takes all the hassle out of peeling ripe peaches for canning, cooking, eating and baking.
Bring a pot of water to a low boil. Use a knife to score (cut an “x”) into the bottom point of each peach, then place the peaches into the hot water for about one minute. Remove peaches from the water with a slotted spoon and place them into an ice bath. When the peaches are cool enough to handle, you’ll be able to slide the peels off with your fingers in a matter of seconds.
___
Related story
Everything’s Just Peachy—Enjoy six delicious dessert recipes from Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan’s first cookbook, Just Peachy.