• Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.

Shortbread Crust

• Cream softened butter, then mix in sugar until blended. Add flour, orange zest, and cardamom, mix until crumbly.
• Press shortbread dough into a 9" springform pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden around the edges.

Cheesecake

• Using a mixer, mix softened cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar, orange zest, and mix to incorporate.
• Add orange juice and vanilla, mix until combined. Mix in one egg at a time, scraping down the sides as needed.
• Pour the cheesecake filling over the baked shortbread crust. Gently tap on the counter a few times to settle the filling and bring the air bubbles to the surface.

Loquat Glaze

• Place jam and orange juice in a small saucepan and heat on low, while mixing.
• Use an immersion blender to blend the loquat jam until smooth. Remove from heat.
•  Spoon some of the glaze over the cheesecake into two large circles.
• Using a chopstick, swirl the glaze into the cheesecake, pulling from one side, then the other. The majority of the loquat glaze will be added on top of the baked cheesecake.

Bake

• Fill a pie tin with some water and place it on the bottom shelf of the oven to create steam while the cheesecake bakes. Place cheesecake on the middle rack and bake at 350-degrees F. for approximately one hour, or until set.
• Remove cheesecake from the oven and leave it on the counter (uncovered) until cool. 
• Top the cheesecake with the remaining loquat glaze. Chill in the refrigerator for approximately 5 hours before serving.