Apricot Cheesecake

Apricot Cheesecake                    Nancy Harrison

Ingredients:

2 cups finely crushed butter cookies
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 15-1/4-ounce can unpeeled apricot halves
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 10-ounce jar apricot spread
1/4 cup apricot nectar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325.

For the crust, in a medium bowl combine crushed butter cookies and melted butter. Press mixture evenly onto bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.

For filling, drain apricot halves, reserving 3 tablespoons syrup. Coarsely chop apricots; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, the reserved syrup, and vanilla until combined. Add eggs all at once, beating until just combined. Stir in chopped apricots. Pour filling into the crust-lined pan. Place on a cookie sheet and bake about 50 minutes or until the center appears nearly set when pan is gently shaken (it will continue cooking after you remove it from the oven). Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen crust from sides of the pan and cool another 30 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and cook the cheesecake completely.

For the glaze, melt the apricot spread in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove it from the heat and stir in the apricot nectar. Spread over the top of the cheesecake. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving.

Ingredients:

2 cups finely crushed butter cookies
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 15-1/4-ounce can unpeeled apricot halves
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 10-ounce jar apricot spread
1/4 cup apricot nectar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325.

For the crust, in a medium bowl combine crushed butter cookies and melted butter. Press mixture evenly onto bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.

For filling, drain apricot halves, reserving 3 tablespoons syrup. Coarsely chop apricots; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, the reserved syrup, and vanilla until combined. Add eggs all at once, beating until just combined. Stir in chopped apricots. Pour filling into the crust-lined pan. Place on a cookie sheet and bake about 50 minutes or until the center appears nearly set when pan is gently shaken (it will continue cooking after you remove it from the oven). Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen crust from sides of the pan and cool another 30 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and cook the cheesecake completely.

For the glaze, melt the apricot spread in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove it from the heat and stir in the apricot nectar. Spread over the top of the cheesecake. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving.

Ingredients:

2 cups finely crushed butter cookies
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 15-1/4-ounce can unpeeled apricot halves
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 10-ounce jar apricot spread
1/4 cup apricot nectar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325.

For the crust, in a medium bowl combine crushed butter cookies and melted butter. Press mixture evenly onto bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside.

For filling, drain apricot halves, reserving 3 tablespoons syrup. Coarsely chop apricots; set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, the reserved syrup, and vanilla until combined. Add eggs all at once, beating until just combined. Stir in chopped apricots. Pour filling into the crust-lined pan. Place on a cookie sheet and bake about 50 minutes or until the center appears nearly set when pan is gently shaken (it will continue cooking after you remove it from the oven). Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen crust from sides of the pan and cool another 30 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and cook the cheesecake completely.

For the glaze, melt the apricot spread in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove it from the heat and stir in the apricot nectar. Spread over the top of the cheesecake. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 4 hours before serving.