Cheesecake

We had some of V´s family over for the second BBQ of the year. (The first had been paella with the Inlaws and a sister. The Inlaws showed up eventually at this one too.) We try to put on a pretty good spread with appetizers, (olives, pickles, jamon or chorizo, potato chips, tortilla española) lots of drinks, the main course and coffee. MIL has been known to point out that very little is actually, you know, cooked by me. (Hey, if I can purchase a tasty tortilla española for 2€ at the Día store and save all the chopping and mess, well. . .)

Now I figure when I´m in Galicia something will have to be done with all the future goat-milk from my future adorable nubian goats. I think goat cheese. And if there is goat cheese, then there might be goatcheesecake. Except I´ve never made a cheesecake before. So I started with this from the Gardenweb.com Cooking Forum:

White Chocolate Cheesecake
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Adapted from http://www.dianasdesserts.com
Dulce de Leche Cheesecake recipe

Crust

1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter

Mix together and pat into bottom of a spring form pan lined with Buttered parchment paper. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool

Filling:
3 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese (24 oz. total)
1 cup superfine granulated sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
6 ounces melted quality white chocolate


Reset oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).

Melt white chocolate with heavy cream. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool.

With an electric mixer beat cream cheese, sugar and flour together until well mixed and smooth. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until smooth.Add the melted chocolate cream mixture. Stir until smooth.

Pour plain batter over crust.

Wrap foil around the bottom and up the sides of the pan.

Place in a shallow pan and pour in hot water. (Bain Marie)

7. Bake in preheated 325°F (160°C) oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until center is almost set.Remove from the oven and let cool. When cool refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 or 5 hours.

Drizzle with white chocolate and or Dulce de Leche.

I left off the dulce de leche (although I have 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk in the cupboard to make just that very thing) but added strawberries, which have just started to look ripe in the frutería.

There were only two problems, it took a little longer (10 minutes) to bake to get brown at all, and the foil didn´t keep the water from the baño María (yep) getting into the cake.

But I´m pleased to say it was a smash! V doesn´t ever eat dessert and even he couldn´t keep out of what was left when everyone went home with big sections.

So now - I have to try one with goat cheese.