Creme Fraiche Cheesecake With Honey Rum Roasted Pineapple Food

CRèME FRAîCHE CHEESECAKE WITH HONEY-RUM-ROASTED PINEAPPLE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend all ingredients in bowl. Press mixture over bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 23/4-inch sides. Bake until golden, about 12 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool. Wrap outside of pan with 2 layers of foil. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• For filling:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and blend 1 minute. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in crème fraîche. Transfer filling to crust. Place cheesecake in roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of springform pan.
• Bake cake until top is dry-looking and slightly puffed, about 1 hour. Turn off oven. Let cake cool in closed oven 1 hour. Remove from water bath. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, at least 6 hours. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• For topping:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place pineapple rings on large rimmed baking sheet. Boil remaining ingredients in small saucepan 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour syrup over pineapple. Roast pineapple 12 minutes. Turn rings over; roast until tender and syrup thickens, turning rings every 5 minutes, about 20 minutes longer. Cool pineapple on sheet. Cut into 1/3-inch cubes; transfer pineapple and syrup to bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill.)
• Drain pineapple, reserving syrup. Cover top of cheesecake with some pineapple; stir remainder back into syrup. Serve cake, passing remaining pineapple in syrup separately.

GOAT CHEESE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the crust:
• Stir all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan.
• To make the filling:
• Beat the cream and goat cheeses in the bowl of an electric stand mixer with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the creme fraiche and beat to combine. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each egg is added, until thoroughly combined. Beat in the sugar and vanilla until just combined.
• Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Put on a baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet halfway through the cooking process. If the cheesecake starts to color, tent the springform pan with aluminum foil.
• Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely before serving, as it continues to set as it cools. It is best to refrigerate overnight before serving. Cut the cake into wedges and serve with Vanilla Pineapple Compote.
• Say cheesecake!
• Combine the brown sugar, water, rum, and vanilla beans in a saucepan over medium heat. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pan and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, add the pineapple and stir until well mixed. Simmer until the liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency and the pineapple is soft.
• Let cool and serve as an accoutrement to yummy desserts like goat cheese cheesecake!

CREME FRAICHE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• To make the crust: In a food processor grind the walnuts and sugar together. Stir in the melted butter, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and up to 4 days. Using your fingers pack 1 1/2 teaspoons of mixture into small rings or collars 1 1/2 inches in diameter by 2 inches high. Bake for 7 minutes. Let cool slightly before adding filling.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• To make the filling: In an electric mixer, with a whip attachment cream the cream cheese. Mix in the remaining ingredients in order. Pour into baked crust lined collars filling to about 3/8 inch from the top. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until slightly puffed and barely shimmying in the center. Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes if puffed to make room for the creme fraiche topping.
• To make the topping: Blend all ingredients and place 1 tablespoon on top of the each mini cheesecake. With a small off-set spatula or a teaspoon, ease the topping to coat evenly. It will level itself out during baking. Bake at 300 degrees F for 5 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. To serve, warm the rings and slip the cheesecakes out of them.