In her latest culinary endeavor, chef Paola Velez expertly pulls from her Bronx roots and Puerto Rican heritage to reimagine a beloved Christmas drink into a delightful cheesecake. Highlighted in her newly published book, "Bodega Bakes," Velez unveils how to bring a different kind of tang to the usual cheesecake recipe by adding some festive flair.

Her creation draws heavily from the traditional Puerto Rican holiday beverage, coquito, and involves the same core ingredients - coconut cream, rum, vanilla, and nutmeg. An interesting aspect of Velez's cheesecake is the absence of egg yolks, mirroring the way coquito deviates from classic eggnog.

In the heart of this unique cake lies yet another cultural gem: the Maria cookie. The Spanish made this simple, vanilla-flavored biscuit popular and are the preferred choice for the cheesecake’s base. The biscuit’s journey began in London's Peek Freans bakery in 1874 as a tribute to Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia's wedding. It became popular in Spain in the early 20th century where numerous bakeries started mass production after the Spanish Civil War.

This unique Maria cookie crust embraces a delicious filling made from cream cheese, egg yolks, eggs, dark rum, coconut extract, unsweetened coconut cream, and labneh or plain full-fat Greek yogurt. A sugar and nutmeg mixture is beaten in with the ingredients to maintain the coquito inspiration.

The cake baking process is typical: the crust is pressed into the bottom of a pan, the filling poured on top, and the pan is then set inside a roasting pan filled with hot water. The cheesecake is baked until golden and set, then cooled at room temperature before being refrigerated overnight.

Before extracting the cheesecake from the springform pan, Velez advises running a butter knife around the edge to prevent the crust from sticking to the pan. Finally, the delectable cheesecake is ready to be sliced and savored. This holiday season, relishing Velez's fusion delight, you'll be transported to the family Christmas gatherings of her Bronx childhood.