Desserts From Chanterelle

(CBS)  Kate Zuckerman, one of the most acclaimed pastry chefs of her generation, is pastry chef at the renowned New York City restaurant Chanterelle. She has recipes for many exquisite desserts in her debut cookbook, "The Sweet Life: Desserts From Chanterelle."

Zuckerman shared several of them on The Early Show Monday in the first segment of the weeklong series "Culinary Inspirations," which features tantalizing recipes from some of the best cookbook authors and chefs in the country.

RECIPES

GOAST CHEESECAKE ENROBED IN HAZLENUT BRITTLE

Creamy yet light, with a tangy intensity from the goat cheese and crème fraiche, this cheesecake is a favorite of many of our customers at Chanterelle and is remarkably easy to prepare. The brittle that enrobes the cake is a bit more difficult to make, but the cheesecake works well without it — you can replace the brittle with simple crushed nuts for a crunchy contrast to the creamy cheesecake.

Ingredients
1 egg
1egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of slat
10 1/2 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 ounces) crème fraiche
1/2 recipe Peanut Brittle*, substituting hazelnuts

Special Tools and Pans
6-inch round springform pan, or six 4-ounce ramekins or individual aluminum cupcake molds
Thermometer (optional)
Roasting pan or baking pan, at least 8 x 8 x 2 inches

Yield
One 6-inch round cheesecake or 6 individual cheesecakes

Directions
Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Butter or oil a 6-inch springform pan or individual ramekin or molds.

Mix the batter: Combine the eggs, sugar and salt in a medium bowl and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the goat cheese until smooth. Add the crème fraiche and whisk for 1 minute. Do not overmix or the cheesecake will have a grainy texture.

Bake the cheesecake: Spread the batter in the prepared pans or molds. If using a springform pan, wrap a large piece of aluminum foil around the outside, making sure the foil around the outside fully encases the pan so that once you set the pan in a deep water bath, none of the water seeps in. Place the foil-wrapped pan in a roasting pan and fill with water so that it comes up 1 1/2 inches along the side of the springform. Bake the cheesecake until the center of the cheesecake reads between 150ºF and 170ºF, approximately 40 minutes. (An air bubble or two might rise to the surface, but the cheesecake will barely expand.)

If you are using individual cheesecakes, you do not need a water bath. Bake the individual cheesecakes for 20 to 24 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking process. If the cheesecake starts to rise, remove them from the oven immediately.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes before removing the sides of the springform pan.

Enrobe the cheesecake: Follow the recipe for Peanut Brittle, substituting hazelnuts for the almonds. Using both hands, pat the ground Hazelnut Brittle onto the top and the sides of the chilled cheesecake.

Serving suggestions: This cheesecake works beautifully with the Blood Orange Caramel Sauce, the Fresh Fig and Madeira Compote and the Roates Medjool Dates Stuffed with Cashews, Currants and Candied Citrus.

Storage: The cheesecake will keep, refrigerated, for 4 days.

For more recipes, go to Page 2.

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[richardknox]

I have found many good recipes on the early show over the years, but lately when I click on the
printable version tab the page goes blank and then returns in its original state. When I print, the recipe is in very fine print and is surrounded with advertising

[fleetst]

I'd like you to use your spellchecker on recipes; giving them a careful read-through would be even better. You should do your best to lead in areas of grammar and spelling - not lag behind.