Monday, April 21, 2014

Simple Little Cheese Cakes

mini cheesecake

I  blew off the leaves on the deck and patio this week-end to make way for a picture perfect summer entertaining  season.   Last summer season wasn’t so picture perfect with all of the rain.  This year, hope springs eternal for plenty of sunshine.  

This season also I will be sharing with you recipes we make with our gourmet wine gelée.   We will also be sharing some recipes from local artisans.  Recipes from cheese makers, spice makers, and flavored olive oil makers, to name a few.   Should be fun and informative.  And of course I won’t forget to share  my wine picks which will hopefully come in handy for you .   So let’s begin….

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
  • 7 whole graham crackers
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • Pinch of salt
  • 10 1/2 oz CalyRoad Creamery fresh chèvre, softened
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons crème fraîche (5 ounces)
  • The European Wine Table Wine Gelée, any flavor

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut out four 3-inch rounds of shirt cardboard.   Brush the insides of four 3-inch-round and 2 1/2-inch-deep ring molds with butter (found at Target stores). In a food processor, grind the crackers with the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of the sugar.   Set the molds on the baking sheet and line the bottoms with the cardboard rounds, trimming to fit.   Pack the crumbs into the molds; press to compact. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool.


Meanwhile, in a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg, egg yolk, salt and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.   Add the fresh chèvre and beat until smooth.   Fold in the crème fraîche.   Spoon the mixture into the molds and smooth the tops. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cheesecakes are just set but not browned.   Let the cheesecakes cool, then refrigerate them until chilled, at least 1 hour.
Heat a sharp, thin-bladed knife under hot water; dry the knife.   Carefully run the blade around the edge of each cheesecake.   Pressing up on the cardboard, ease the cheesecakes out of the molds; return to the baking sheet.   Cut four 11-by-2 1/2-inch strips of parchment paper.   Wrap the paper around the perimeter of each cheesecake to form a collar that extends 1 inch above the surface; secure with tape.


Spread wine gelée over each cheesecake and refrigerate until chilled and set, about 20 minutes.


Remove the parchment-paper collar from each cheesecake. Carefully remove the cardboard bottoms and serve.

*the original recipe is from Food & Wine magazine enhanced by Mary of Cheeses & Mary

enjoy,

Simply Jacqueline