Mandarin Orange Cheesecake

Servings: servings

Calories: 583cal

24 ounces cream cheese softened at room temperature. three 8 ounce blocks
½ cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar 157g
4 large eggs
½ cup sour cream at room temperature
¼ cup frozen orange juice concentrate thawed at room temperature
1 ½ Tablespoons orange zest preferably mandarin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 small mandarin oranges broken into segments (can substitute 1 can (10 ounces) mandarin orange segments, drained)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch cheesecake pan, ungreased, or springform pan with 3-inch sides, greased.

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, almonds, and butter.
1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 3/4 cup almonds, 1/4 cup unsalted butter
Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze for 30 minutes to an hour.
TIP - use a flat bottomed measuring cup to press the crust into the pan.

In a mixer bowl fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, butter and sugar on medium-high speed until very smooth, for 3 minutes.
24 ounces cream cheese, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Do not overbeat.
4 large eggs
Stir in sour cream, orange juice concentrate, orange zest and vanilla.
1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, 1 1/2 Tablespoons orange zest, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Fold in orange segments using a rubber spatula.
3 small mandarin oranges
Pour over frozen crust, smoothing out to sides of pan.
Bake in preheated oven until top is light brown and center has a slight jiggle to it, 45 to 55 minutes. At the end of the baking time, turn the oven off and crack open the oven door slightly. Leave the cheesecake in the oven while the oven cools down. When oven has cooled, remove cheesecake to a wire rack on the counter. It's ok if the cheesecake cracks a bit on top, you'll cover it with whipped cream.
Once the cheesecake is fully cooled, you can now add the whipped topping.

Using the whisk attachment on your mixer, beat heavy whipping cream on medium-high for about 30 seconds. Stop mixer, add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Turn mixer on low to incorporate the sugar and extract. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down sides if needed.
1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Return mixer to medium-high and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread topping on top of cheesecake and refrigerate for several hours before cutting.

5 from 5 votes

You can typically find ground almonds at the store, but if you want to toast and grind them yourself, you can place the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in an oven at 350F for around 10 minutes. Then, blitz the almonds in a food processor.
If you're looking for a substitute for the almonds, you can simply swap them for an equal amount of graham crackers to make up the difference. You can also use hazelnuts, which I've done in the past and came out equally delicious! Walnuts or crushed pretzels are other good options here.
I typically make this cheesecake using sour cream, but I've also successfully substituted with drained vanilla yogurt.
Allow all your chilled ingredients (eggs, butter, cream cheese, sour cream, and orange juice concentrate) to come to room temperature before beginning. The cream cheese is especially important to come to room temperature so that your filling does not come out lumpy.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time30

Cook Time50

Freeze and Chill Time4 30

Total Time5 50