Monday, December 29, 2008

It's so cheesy!

Found some great treasures on today's "hunting and gathering" trip. A fantastic cottage style mirror with original paint, an old ladder with faded, peeling paint, an old fruit box converted into great storage or stylish "in/out-box", a Victorian art nouveau lidded dresser box, a trio of wire forms including baby shoes, a saucy bust, and a miniature dress form and a fabulous(!) architectural fragment from a porch, I already have an idea for incorporating this gem into a garden display...and there is more!
Now for another New Year's Eve tidbit. I have been making this savory cheesecake ever since I first read/saw it in an issue of Country Living some 7 or 8 years ago. The photo alone (by Beatriz Da Costa) is intoxicating for me. It is elegant and rustic and so undeniably inviting.

4 oz Triscuits, crumbled
2/3 cup chopped tart dried cherries
1/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
2 T brown sugar
2 t chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 t paprika
1/4 t cayenne pepper
3 T unsalted butter, melted
8 oz cream cheese
5 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
2 t Dijon mustard
1/2 t salt
2 large eggs

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 7-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Lightly butter the paper and set aside. Place the crackers, dried cherries, pecans, brown sugar, thyme, paprika, and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne in a large mixing bowl and toss to combine. Stir in the melted butter and press the mixture into the bottom of the lined pan. Blind bake the crust until set -- about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and set aside.
Make the cheesecake batter: Place the cheeses, sour cream, mustard, salt, and remaining cayenne in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer set on low speed until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is smooth. Pour the batter into the prebaked crust and bake until set and golden brown -- 40 to 50 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack to room temperature. Remove from pan and serve at room temperature. Cake may be stored, tightly wrapped in plastic and refrigerated, for up to 3 days. When serving garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and dried cherries.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

this sounds so yummy I will definitly be making this one
Thanks for sharing and Happy New Year :)