Author: Debbie Roney Smith

Did you know that National Cheesecake Day has been celebrated on July 30th since 1985?! That’s over 30 years of the classic sweet treat being honored. Looking for a fun Florida-flavored cheesecake to enjoy today? Try the following Florida Orange Cheesecake recipe:

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups of (finely ground) vanilla wafer cookies
• 1/3 cup of golden brown sugar
• 6-7 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4-6 Florida oranges (or 1 cup of fresh orange juice)
• 1 cup of sugar, divided
• 2 Tablespoons of finely grated orange peel
• 4-8 ounce packages of cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 container 8-ounce sour cream 
• 3 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon of salt
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 2-3 oranges, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1 1/2 cups of sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Directions:

1. 2 hours prior to baking, remove the 4 packages of cream cheese and 5 eggs from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature.
2. Set the oven at 350 degrees and position the rack in the middle of the oven.
3. Finely grind 2 cups of nilla wafers. Add wafers to a medium bowl. Add 1/3 cup of packed golden brown sugar. Melt 6-7 Tablespoons of butter. Add 6 Tablespoons to the mixture. If the mixture is still dry add 1 more tablespoon.
4. Press the mixture together with your fingertips, combining the three ingredients. The mixture should be damp.
5. Press the crust mixture on the bottom of the pan and create a 1” border up the side of the pan.
6. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until set and the edges are golden brown. Allow the crust to cool.
7. Wrap 4 layers of foil tightly around the outside of the pan so that it is completely waterproof as it will be put in a water bath.
8. While the crust is cooling, make the filling. Zest 2 Tablespoons of orange zest from the skin of the oranges. Then juice 4 medium oranges to create 1 cup of orange juice – alternatively, use 1 cup of boxed orange juice.
9. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of orange juice, ¼ cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of orange zest and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Reduce the heat to a simmer. For 10 minutes, let the mixture simmer reducing to ¾ cup. Chill until cool.
10. Meanwhile, using a mixer, beat the 4 packages of (room temperature) cream cheese and ¾ cup of sugar until smooth. Then mix in 1 cup of sour cream, 3 tablespoons of flour, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Beat in the 5 eggs one at a time. Finally, mix in the cooled orange juice mixture.
11. Pour filling into the cooled crust.
12. Next, take a large roasting pan and place the aluminum foil-lined spring form pan inside. Then, pour hot water around the spring form pan, so that water rises halfway up the sides of the pan.
13. Place in the oven. Bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
14. Remove the cake from the roasting pan and discard the foil. When it is cool, cover the cake and place in the refrigerator overnight.
15. *Optional step. To make the orange topping, slice 2-3 oranges, in 1/4 inch thick slices.
16. Combine 1 1/2 cups of water and 1 1/2 cups of sugar in a saucepan. Take the vanilla bean, split it open lengthwise, and scrape the seeds into the water and sugar mixture. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add the orange slices and simmer until translucent, typically around 25 minutes. Remove the oranges from the heat and let cool on a paper towel.
17. When oranges are cool, arrange them on top of the cake.
18. Take a pastry brush and dab some of the remaining syrup on top of the oranges and over the surface of the cake to create a shiny coating.