Stilton Cheesecake with Rhubarb Compote

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Stilton Cheesecake With Rhubarb Compote

 

Recipe By :Michael Noble, Gourmet, May 2000

Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :1:15

Categories :

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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FOR SHORTBREAD CRUST:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

7 tablespoons unsalted butter -- cut into 1/2-inch cu

FOR FILLING:

1/2 pound stilton -- rind discarded and c

24 ounces cream cheese -- softened

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

8 ounces sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

FOR RHUBARB COMPOTE:

1/2 cup port

1/2 cup sugar

24 pink peppercorns -- coarsely crushed

2 pounds trimmed rhubarb -- cut into 1/2-inch cu

3 tablespoons sugar for caramel topping -- optional

 

" While in Vancouver, we had a wonderful meal at Diva at the Met. The

star of the show was the Stilton cheesecake. Could you persuade the chef

to part with the recipe? " asks Mark Horne of Laurel, Mississippi.

 

Editors' note: Pairing Stilton and rhubarb may sound like a joke, but we

had to try it. It turns out that the joke's on us - the combination is

terrific.

 

Chef Michael Noble caramelizes the top with a blowtorch, but we think

the cheesecake is also delicious without the crackly crust.

 

Make shortbread crust: Preheat oven to 350°F.

 

Blend together flour and sugar with an electric mixer. Add butter and

blend until mixture resembles coarse meal (it will not form a dough).

Transfer to a buttered 24-centimeter springform pan and press evenly

onto bottom. Bake in middle of oven until pale golden, about 30 minutes,

then cool in pan on a rack.

 

Reduce temperature to 300°F.

 

Make filling: Beat together crumbled Stilton, cream cheese, and sugar in

a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Beat in flour and add

eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream

and vanilla, then pour filling over cooled crust in pan.

 

Bake cheesecake in middle of oven until puffed and pale golden around

edge, about 1, hours. Transfer cake in pan to rack and run a knife

around edge of pan to loosen. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Chill,

covered, until cold, at least 4 hours. Remove side of pan and transfer

cake to a plate.

 

Make compote while cake is cooling: Boil Port, 1/2 cup sugar, and

peppercorns in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, stirring until sugar is

dissolved, until reduced to about 1/2 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Add rhubarb

and gently stir to coat. Simmer rhubarb, stirring gently once after 5

minutes, until just tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes, and

transfer to a bowl. Chill compote, covered, until cold, at least 4

hours.

 

Make optional caramel topping: Just before serving, sprinkle tablespoons

sugar evenly over cheesecake and heat with a blowtorch, moving flame

back and forth just over sugar until evenly melted and caramelized.

 

Cooks' note: Cheesecake and compote can be chilled up to 2 days before

caramelizing top of cheesecake and serving.

 

Serves 8 to 10.

 

>From Diva at the Met, Vancouver, BC

 

Source:

" Gourmet, May 2000 "

Start to Finish Time:

" 9:00 "

 

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Per serving: 5873 Calories (kcal); 380g Total Fat; (57% calories from

fat); 96g Protein; 534g Carbohydrate; 1625mg Cholesterol; 2316mg Sodium

Food Exchanges: 10 Grain(Starch); 10 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 70

1/2 Fat; 23 1/2 Other Carbohydrates