An exquisite cheesecake experience, featuring a sophisticated brown butter shortbread crust, a luxurious mascarpone and cream cheese filling with Tahitian vanilla bean, adorned with a complex artisanal salted caramel and elegant garnishes.
An exquisite cheesecake experience, featuring a sophisticated brown butter shortbread crust, a luxurious mascarpone and cream cheese filling with Tahitian vanilla bean, adorned with a complex artisanal salted caramel and elegant garnishes.
Prepare Brown Butter Shortbread Crust: Melt the Unsalted Butter from the Brown Butter Shortbread Crust group in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it foams, then turns golden brown with nutty aromas. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking. Let cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Lightly grease the inside. In a food processor, pulse the All-Purpose Flour, Granulated Sugar, Light Brown Sugar, and Fine Sea Salt from the Brown Butter Shortbread Crust group until combined. Add the cooled browned butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Press this mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove and cool. Keep oven at 325°F (160°C).
Prepare Mascarpone Cheesecake Filling (Reverse Creaming Method): Ensure Cream Cheese and Mascarpone Cheese from the Mascarpone Cheesecake Filling group are very soft. In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the Superfine Sugar, Fine Sea Salt, and scraped Vanilla Bean seeds from the Mascarpone Cheesecake Filling group. Add the softened Cream Cheese and Mascarpone Cheese and beat on low speed until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides often. Do not incorporate too much air.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the Heavy Cream from the Mascarpone Cheesecake Filling group until just incorporated. Add the Organic Large Eggs one at a time, mixing on very low speed only until just combined after each addition. Do not overmix. The batter should be smooth and dense.
Bake the Cheesecake (Precision Water Bath): Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust in the springform pan. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan inside a larger roasting pan. Carefully pour hot (but not boiling) water into the roasting pan until it reaches about two-thirds up the sides of the springform pan.
Carefully transfer the roasting pan with the cheesecake to the preheated oven. Bake for 80-95 minutes, or until the edges are set and appear slightly puffed, but the center still has a slight wobble when gently shaken (no more than 1-2 inches). The internal temperature should be around 150-155°F (65-68°C) if using a thermometer.
Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon, and let the cheesecake cool in the water bath for 2 hours. This gradual cooling process is crucial for preventing cracks.
Carefully remove the springform pan from the water bath, remove the foil, and let the cheesecake cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature. Once fully cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, for optimal setting and flavor development.
Prepare Artisanal Salted Caramel Sauce: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the Granulated Sugar, Water, and Light Corn Syrup from the Artisanal Salted Caramel Sauce group. Heat over medium-high heat without stirring, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture boils and turns a deep amber color (approximately 340-350°F / 170-175°C on a candy thermometer).
Immediately remove from heat. Carefully whisk in the chilled Browned Unsalted Butter cubes, one at a time, until completely melted. Then, gradually whisk in the warmed Heavy Cream and scraped Vanilla Bean seeds. The mixture will bubble vigorously. Continue whisking until smooth and thick. Stir in the Fleur de Sel from the Artisanal Salted Caramel Sauce group. Pour into a heatproof jar and let cool completely at room temperature. It will thicken considerably as it cools.
Assemble and Serve: Once the cheesecake is thoroughly chilled, remove it from the springform pan. Drizzle generously with the cooled Artisanal Salted Caramel Sauce. Garnish with Fleur de Sel, Tempered Chocolate Shards, and Candied Pecans from the Garnish group just before serving.
Ingredients
12
Brown Butter Shortbread Crust
1/2 cup113 gUnsalted Butter
1 1/2 cups180 gAll-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup50 gGranulated Sugar
1/4 cup50 gLight Brown Sugar-packed
1/4 teaspoon1.25 gFine Sea Salt
Mascarpone Cheesecake Filling
24 ounces680 gCream Cheese-full-fat, softened
8 ounces227 gMascarpone Cheese-softened
1 1/2 cups300 gSuperfine Sugar
4200 gOrganic Large Eggs
1/2 cup120 mLHeavy Cream
1 pod1 podVanilla Bean-scraped seeds
1/4 teaspoon1.25 gFine Sea Salt
Artisanal Salted Caramel Sauce
1 1/2 cups300 gGranulated Sugar
1/4 cup60 mLWater
2 tablespoons30 mLLight Corn Syrup
6 tablespoons85 gUnsalted Butter-browned, then chilled and cut into cubes
3/4 cup180 mLHeavy Cream-high fat (36% or more), warmed
1/2 pod0.5 podVanilla Bean-scraped seeds
1 teaspoon5 gFleur de Sel
Garnish
1/2 teaspoon2.5 gFleur de Sel
2 ounces56 gTempered Chocolate Shards
1/4 cup30 gCandied Pecans-chopped
Equipment
9-inch springform pan
heavy-duty aluminum foil
small saucepan (for browning butter)
food processor
stand mixer (with paddle attachment)
large mixing bowl
measuring cups
measuring spoons
spatula
large roasting pan
heavy-bottomed saucepan
candy thermometer
wire rack
Instructions
Prepare Brown Butter Shortbread Crust: Melt the Unsalted Butter from the Brown Butter Shortbread Crust group in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it foams, then turns golden brown with nutty aromas. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking. Let cool slightly.
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Lightly grease the inside. In a food processor, pulse the All-Purpose Flour, Granulated Sugar, Light Brown Sugar, and Fine Sea Salt from the Brown Butter Shortbread Crust group until combined. Add the cooled browned butter and pulse until a coarse meal forms. Press this mixture evenly onto the bottom of the prepared springform pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden. Remove and cool. Keep oven at 325°F (160°C).
Prepare Mascarpone Cheesecake Filling (Reverse Creaming Method): Ensure Cream Cheese and Mascarpone Cheese from the Mascarpone Cheesecake Filling group are very soft. In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the Superfine Sugar, Fine Sea Salt, and scraped Vanilla Bean seeds from the Mascarpone Cheesecake Filling group. Add the softened Cream Cheese and Mascarpone Cheese and beat on low speed until just combined and smooth, scraping down the sides often. Do not incorporate too much air.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the Heavy Cream from the Mascarpone Cheesecake Filling group until just incorporated. Add the Organic Large Eggs one at a time, mixing on very low speed only until just combined after each addition. Do not overmix. The batter should be smooth and dense.
Bake the Cheesecake (Precision Water Bath): Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled crust in the springform pan. Place the foil-wrapped springform pan inside a larger roasting pan. Carefully pour hot (but not boiling) water into the roasting pan until it reaches about two-thirds up the sides of the springform pan.
Carefully transfer the roasting pan with the cheesecake to the preheated oven. Bake for 80-95 minutes, or until the edges are set and appear slightly puffed, but the center still has a slight wobble when gently shaken (no more than 1-2 inches). The internal temperature should be around 150-155°F (65-68°C) if using a thermometer.
Turn off the oven, prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon, and let the cheesecake cool in the water bath for 2 hours. This gradual cooling process is crucial for preventing cracks.
Carefully remove the springform pan from the water bath, remove the foil, and let the cheesecake cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature. Once fully cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight, for optimal setting and flavor development.
Prepare Artisanal Salted Caramel Sauce: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the Granulated Sugar, Water, and Light Corn Syrup from the Artisanal Salted Caramel Sauce group. Heat over medium-high heat without stirring, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the mixture boils and turns a deep amber color (approximately 340-350°F / 170-175°C on a candy thermometer).
Immediately remove from heat. Carefully whisk in the chilled Browned Unsalted Butter cubes, one at a time, until completely melted. Then, gradually whisk in the warmed Heavy Cream and scraped Vanilla Bean seeds. The mixture will bubble vigorously. Continue whisking until smooth and thick. Stir in the Fleur de Sel from the Artisanal Salted Caramel Sauce group. Pour into a heatproof jar and let cool completely at room temperature. It will thicken considerably as it cools.
Assemble and Serve: Once the cheesecake is thoroughly chilled, remove it from the springform pan. Drizzle generously with the cooled Artisanal Salted Caramel Sauce. Garnish with Fleur de Sel, Tempered Chocolate Shards, and Candied Pecans from the Garnish group just before serving.
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