Goat’s Cheese Cheesecake
I love cheesecake; there’s just something about that creamy, cheesy delight that makes me smile with every bite. Although I still don’t understand why we call it cheese-CAKE when it is a custard pie.
This recipe gives a bit of a savory spin to a classic vanilla cheesecake with the addition of goat’s cheese for a bit of tanginess and extra creaminess. I think that once baked with the cream cheese and the custard, the goat’s cheese will lend a nice texture to the final custard and a bit of flavor.
Let’s cheese some cake!
How to Cut Pineapple
For some extra sweetness, depth, and a touch of freshness, I’ll be serving this cheesecake with a wonderful vanilla-pineapple compote, and part of that does involve cutting a pineapple into small chunks. I don’t know if I’ve done a demo on how to cut pineapple yet, so let’s give it a whirl.
To begin, lay the pineapple on its side, then take a serrated knife and cut off the top where the leaves are and the bottom.
Stand the pineapple up on the cut side, then position your knife on the edge of the skin where you can see the little brown eyes. While following the curved shape of the pineapple, carefully move your knife down to remove the skin and eyes while keeping as much of the flesh on the pineapple as possible. Repeat until all of the pineapple skin is removed.
Then, cut the pineapple in half, lengthwise, then cut those halves in half. Angle your knife roughly 45 degrees, then cut it down to remove the core from each quarter.
From there, you can slice or dice the pineapple as you would almost any fruit, in this case, I’ll be cutting it into bite-sized pieces.
Goat’s Cheese Cheesecake
Serves 10-12
Recipe Courtesy of Anne Burrell
For the Crust:
2 cups of gingersnap crumbs
6 tablespoons of melted butter, plus more for the pan
1/4 cup of sugar
A pinch of salt
For the Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese at room temperature
1 (12-ounce) log of plain goat’s cheese
12 ounces of sour cream or creme fraiche
4 eggs
1 cup of sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
For the Vanilla-Pineapple Compote:
1 cup of brown sugar
1 1/2 cups of water
1 cup of rum
2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out. (Or 2 tablespoons of vanilla bean paste)
1/2 a lemon, juiced
1 ripe pineapple*, top, skin, and core removed and cut into bite-sized pieces. (see above)
*To test if a pineapple is ripe, grab one of the small leaves on top, then give it a pull. If the leaf pulls out with little resistance, then it’s perfectly ripe.
Step 1: Make the Crust
Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9-inch, springform cake pan with butter.
Combine the gingersnap crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt in a bowl to moisten the crumbs, then dump them into the prepared pan. Use a measuring cup or any flat, solid device to press the crumbs into an even layer along the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Set aside while you make the filling.
(If gingersnap cookies are out of season, then you can use graham crackers.)
Step 2: Make the Filling
Dump the cream cheese and goat’s cheese into the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, then beat on low speed until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
Add the sour cream, then beat for another minute, or until the mixture looks smooth.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition, then beat in the sugar and vanilla. Use a stiff spatula to scrape up the bottom of the bowl to ensure that all of the cheese gets incorporated into the batter.
Pour the filling into the crust, then bake for 55-60 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set around the edges, but still slightly jiggly in the center as it will firm up as it cools. If the cheesecake starts browning too quickly, then cover with foil.
Remove from the oven, then let it cool completely.
(Of course, you could slice the cheesecake as soon as it’s cooled and serve it straight away, but it will be even better if you let it sit in the fridge overnight.)
Step 3: Make the Vanilla-Pineapple Compote
In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, water, rum, and vanilla beans over medium heat. Squeeze in the lemon juice, then stir to combine.
Bring the liquid to a simmer, then add the pineapple and cook for 40-45 minutes, or until the pineapple is very soft and the liquid becomes syrupy. Let the compote cool completely before serving.
(By the way, this compote is not just great on this cheesecake. It’s a nice sweet, jammy delight to put onto pancakes, ice cream, biscuits, or even just spread onto some toast.)
Step 4: Slice and Serve
Pop open the edges of the springform pan and lift off. (That’s what I like about these springform pans, as you can slice the cake right on top of the base.)
Run a knife under hot water, then carefully slice the cheesecake, making sure to cut through the crust as well, into 10-12 even (or as close to even as you can get) slices. Serve with the pineapple compote.
I can’t recommend that you make this goat’s cheese cheesecake anymore.
The cheesecake itself is super creamy, has a slight funk and wonderful texture from the goat’s cheese, there’s a bit of spice from the gingersnap cookies, and that fruity pineapple compote just seals the deal.
