Gingerbread Cheesecake & Mulled Wine Glaze

A cake with a rich taste and strong flavours, yet still fresh and not too overpowering or sweet. The gingerbread base is thin and the creamy cheese filling has a light texture from added citrus fruits. The mulled wine glaze gives the cake a little contrast that goes well together with the filling.

Gingerbread Cheesecake

200grams gingerbread biscuits
60grams butter, melted
400grams cream cheese (full fat)
250ml whipping cream
orange zest
lemon juice
5 leaves of gelatine
0,5dl sugar
+ a splash of hot orange juice for the gelatine

Mulled Wine Glaze

3dl mulled wine or glögg of your choice
3 leaves of gelatine
+ a splash of hot wine for the gelatine

1. Put the leaves of gelatine in plenty of cold water to soften for 10mins. Crush the gingerbread biscuits and pour in the melted butter. Pat the crumble into a 24cm loose-bottomed round cake tin to make the base. Chill in the fridge while making the filling.
2. Soften the cream cheese in a bowl, add sugar, orange zest and lemon juice just enough to achieve a silky smooth mixture. Whisk the whipping cream separately in a clean, dry bowl and set aside to wait.
3. Heat up a small amount of orange juice, then squeeze the cold water out of the gelatine and place the leaves in the hot juice. In a thin string pour the gelatinous juice into the cream cheese and give it a good mix. Lastly fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese and pour into the cake tin. Spread it out evenly and let it set in the refrigerator until set, at least 5 hours.
4. Once the cheesecake is set, make the mulled wine glaze. Again start by placing the leaves of gelatine in plenty of cold water to soften. Heat a tiny amount of mulled wine, squeeze the leaves and pop them into the hot liquid. Using a spoon, pour the gelatinous wine into the room temperature mulled wine. This will be very runny, so take care when pouring it over the cold cheesecake. To end up with a nice glossy glaze, without any air bubbles, do not use a wire whisk to mix the gelatine into the wine.
5. Leave the cake to further chill in the fridge, preferably over night. The glaze is best not too solid, it should have a slight wobble to it, that way it has a nicer feel to it while eating it.
(The flavours and spices in the cake will come through more intensely if the cake is enjoyed after a couple of days of making it.)