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A cheesecake with candied fruit filling.

(12 servings)

1/2 pound candied fruit such as citrus, cherries, watermelon rind and so on
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs, approximately
2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup cream
4 eggs
1-3/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Preheat oven to 300 F.

Cut the pieces of fruit into cubes, 1/4 inch or smaller.

Butter the inside of a meatl cake pan 8 inches wide and 3 inches deep. Do not use a springform pan. Sprinkle the inside with graham cracker crumbs. Shake out excess crumbs and set aside.

You may make the batter using a food processor or electric mixer. The processor is faster. Put the cream cheese, cream, eggs, sugar and vanilla into the container of a food processor or the bowl of an electric mixer. If the mixer is used, starting beating the ingredients on low and, as the ingredients blend, increase speed to high. If the processor is used, blend ingredients thoroughly. Add the pieces of candied fruit and mix or blend.

Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan and shake gently to level the mixture.

Set the pan inside a wider pand and pour boiling water into the large pan to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Do not let the edge of the cheesecake pan touch the sides of the larger pan. Set the pans thus arranged into the oven and bake 2 hours. At the end of the time, turn off the oven heat and let the cake remain in the oven for 1 hour longer.

Lift the cake out of its water bath and place it on a rack. Let stand at least 2 hours.

Place a round cake plate over the cake and carefully turn both upside down to unmold the cake. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.

*from The New York Times Cookbook