A week into my new job, I’ve come to terms with the fact that I may have let myself go a little bit in between gigs. I’m not one to really give a whole lot of thought to watching what I eat (read: I give basically no thought at all) and because I have a pretty active lifestyle that is usually okay. But it’s been kind of depressing going to work (a job where I can wear fun, less “corporate” outfits) when half of my clothes don’t fit. At first, I was miffed. I’d had all of this time to go to the gym at 12:30 in the afternoon with this whole other universe of unemployed and freelance individuals! But then I asked myself a series of hard-hitting questions, like “Was it the 4 days I spent in Dubai doing nothing but eating several-course meals and barely even using my legs to walk?” “Was it all the snacking that punctuated my day while sitting at home watching the Food Network?” “Was it the half cheesecake that I single-handedly polished off?” Indeed, it was.
This is that cheesecake.
I love your standard cream cheese and graham cracker cheesecake as much as the next girl – if not more – but sometimes it’s fun to give things a twist. Especially if it’s a European twist. See, Europeans are always making their cheesecakes out of funny ingredients. Sometimes it’s ricotta; this time it’s goat cheese. What’s that you ask? Doesn’t it taste goat-y? The answer is that it kind of does, but not in a weird way at all. It’s a sharper, more interesting flavor than cream cheese, and when combined with mascarpone is just as creamy texture-wise.
The second point of interest here is the crust. You’ll notice it’s missing the ubiquitous graham cracker (which is a blessing in disguise- I found myself eating crushed graham crackers and melted butter with a spoon in the not-too-distant past). Filling in is the unusual combination of walnuts and water crackers. Water crackers? Water crackers. Don’t ask me why, but it works as a not too sweet counterpoint to the very rich filling.
So, I know it’s pie season, but this cake could be a great addition to any holiday feast. It’s here to save you when you need a little break from the cinnamon and nutmeg, and the thought of rolling out yet another pie dough has you running for the hills. I won’t deny that it’s an indulgence, but ‘tis the season for over-doing it, and if you’re going to you might as well enjoy every bite.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups walnut halves
- 1/4 cup loosely packed light brown sugar
- 20 plain water crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 15 oz. soft goat cheese
- 16 oz. mascarpone (room temperature)
- 3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- To make the crust, combine the walnuts, brown sugar, crackers and nutmeg in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until finely ground. Add the melted butter and continue to process until the mixture is moist and sticks to the sides of the processor bowl. Gather the mixture together and place in the center of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Using your fingertips, gently press the crumb mixture evenly over the bottom and two/thirds up the sides of the pan. Put in the freezer to chill for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- To make the filling, first rinse out the food processor, then again fit it with the metal blade. Place the goat cheese, mascarpone, lemon zest, eggs, sugar and salt in the bowl and process until smooth and creamy. Remove the springform pan with the crust from the freezer, place in the center of a baking sheet and pour the filling into the crust. Bake until the top springs back when lightly pressed with a fingertip, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature or transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. When completely cool, release the sides of the springform pan and transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate. Serve chilled or at room temperature, cut into slices.
Notes
From Paris to Provence
November 17, 2014 at 12:24 pm
We are going to add this one to our Thanksgiving bounty of desserts.