Sweets for Your Valentine Sweetie

 

Valentine's Day is a day for treating your special valentine, and yourself, to a sweet treat. I think cheesecakes are one of the most special sweet treats. I recently made this cheesecake for a family birthday celebration and it was a favorite we'll have again. The strawberry-rhubarb compote is yummy and also tastes great with oatmeal, rice pudding, and even on raisin bread toast. The cheesecake recipe is one I adapted from a favorite applesauce cheesecake we usually have at Thanksgiving. I wanted a coconut flavor like our other favorite birthday treat - coconut cream pie. This cheese cake is sweet, but not too sweet. With fewer eggs and cream cheese than many recipes it isn't overly rich, but more mild and smooth. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

COCONUT CHEESE CAKE WITH RHUBARB-STRAWBERRY COMPOTE

 

Crust: 

1 ¼ cup (20 squares) graham cracker crumbs

½ cup toasted flaked coconut

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup milted butter

 

Filling:

3 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I may try coconut extract next time)

2/3 cup flaked coconut, toasted

 

Directions:

1.    Heat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, combine all crust ingredients; mix well. Press in bottom of 10-inch springform pan. 

2.    In large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar, and flour; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sour cream and vanilla extract; beat until blended. Stir in coconut. 

3.    Pour into crust-lined pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until center is set. (To minimize cracking, place shallow pan half full of hot water on lower oven rack during baking.) 

4.    Cool. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight. 

 

Compote: (I used frozen fruit)

2 cups of rough chopped rhubarb

2 cups of rough chopped strawberries

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup water or orange juice

 

Combine in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered 7-9 minutes or until thickened. Cool slightly and transfer to a covered container. 

 

To serve, carefully remove sides of springform pan from cheesecake. Slice into 16 slices, running knife under water between slices. Warm compote and drizzle over each piece.