Goat cheese cheesecake. I mean, why not, really? Cream cheese and goat cheese aren’t all that different. I think, when I first envisioned a goat cheesecake I really intended something like this, not the savory tastes-like-a-cheese-dip version I actually made. Lesson learned. Because this version is as tangy and sweet as it is rustic and beautiful.
I was originally going to do a strawberry basil flavor combination (yes, yes, months later I’ve still got basil on the brain), but after tasting the heavenly almond biscotti (from Trader Joe’s) that I chose to use for the crust, I decided that the basil flavor would be lost in the midst. And that strawberry almond was equally as enticing.
The filling itself is a swirl of plain almond and strawberry. Just a word of warning that baked strawberry does not stay delightfully pink, rather, turns more of an off shade of mauve. If you want pink (and next time, I think the pink would be much prettier), add a few drops of red food coloring to the strawberry batter.
The strawberry flavor, however, comes through loud and clear, tasting like a grown up strawberry milkshake with hints of almond and a slight tang from the goat cheese; however goat cheese skeptics just know that it is very mild and I doubt anyone would guess there was goat cheese in it if they didn’t know. Try it. I think you’ll like it and it might just convert you to the light side.
Strawberry Almond Goat Cheese Cheesecake
Ingredients:
For Crust:
- 2 cups finely ground almond biscotti (from about 8 ounces whole cookies), or substitute 1 3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs and 1/4 cup almond meal
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
For Filling:
- 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 11 ounces (1 log) goat cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- pinch salt
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 10 ounces whole fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed and drained if frozen
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
- To prepare crust, mix together cookie crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl until evenly moistened. Butter and line the bottom of a 9-by-2-inch deep cake pan with parchment paper; butter parchment (alternatively, you can use a 9-inch-round springform pan if you like). Press crumb mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of prepared pan and set aside.
- To prepare filling, combine cream cheese, goat cheese, sugar, and sour cream, flour, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until completely smooth and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure there are no large chunks and that all ingredients are incorporated. Stir in vanilla and almond extract.
- Pour half of the filling into prepared crust.
- Purée strawberries until smooth. Add to remaining filling in food processor and pulse to combine. Pour on top of plain filling in a decorative swirly pattern. Use a butter knife or skewer to create additional swirls in the top of the cheesecake.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until the top is just barely jiggly. Remove from oven and run a thin knife or spatula around the edge to release the cake from the sides of the pan. Turn off the heat and return cake to the oven for another 15 minutes to finish baking. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack; let cool completely to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
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I’ve never tried goat cheese, so I would probably start by sprinkling it on a spinach, dried cranberry and candied walnut salad.
I would use the goat cheese to make this awesome looking cheesecake for my mother in law as her birthday cake. Her birthday is Dec 23 & she just found out she is allergic to chocolate. This cheesecake would definatley help put a birthday smile on her face.
We LOVE goat cheese around my house, and I can totally see it in a cheesecake. That said, years ago I made what you could call a bifteki knock-off: ground meat patties filled with herbed goat cheese instead of feta. It was OH SO VERY YUMMY, and if you hate turkey, this may just be your ethnic other option… :)
I would sprinkel it on roasted acorn squash!
Love goat cheese on figs with dollop of honey and black pepper. Simple and wonderful! Happy Thanksgiving!
Goat cheese with veggies is delicious! Maybe on some sweet potaters…
i love quiche made with goat cheese. for the holidays it would be lovely in a salad with pom seeds and candied walnuts.
Goat cheese would be good mixed in with some ricotta, mozzarella, and spinach and stuffed into ravioli, manicotti, jumbo shells, etc.
Oh wow, that looks utterly delicious!
I would use goats’s cheese for my favourite asparagus, pumpkin and goats’ cheese frittata ♥
I just saw a recipe for goat cheese mixed with dried cranberries, rolled back into a log and rolled in chopped pecans…. what a yummy and pretty spread for crackers!
I’d use the goat cheese to make one of my specialties for my family. It’s a thick round of goat cheese covered in honey and baked in the oven until brown and bubbly. Then it’s topped with roasted slivered almonds and served with Spanish breadsticks. Amazing and easy!
Goat cheese is my absolute favorite. For the holidays, I would want to try a cheesecake with some goat cheese or stuff them in some mushrooms with garlic and shallots. Yum!
I adore goat cheese so I’m sure I’d find a way to sneak into everything I make! I might make a goat cheese ice cream for dessert.
in salads!
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I’d really like to use goat cheese in a roasted fruit dessert… fig, perhaps?
Mmmm, goat cheese. I’ll be serving it with cranberry salsa and crackers this holiday season.
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I also tweeted! @PlaguedLeech
I would make this cheesecake! it sounds heavenly.
I LOVE goat cheese enchiladas BUT I’ve been wanting to make grilled pizza with goat cheese & sun dried tomatoes since I ran across the recipe! We don’t do traditional holidays here in South Texas. It’s too hot to be trapped inside with a hot oven, so what better way to spend Christmas than outside grilling pizza? When the weather cools off & lets HOPE it does, I’d love to give that cheesecake a shot!
Sorry I won’t be able to “tweet” or “facebook” your give away but I’m not a tweeter or a booker? However, I will email a few friends.
I can’t end this without mentioning your rainbow cake. I’m from Texas where everything is big but that cake is beyond big, it’s enormous!
Happy Holidays from the great state of Texas y’all!
I have a pear salad with toasted nuts that I would like to put goat cheese on!
I love the marbling effect you’ve got going on! Ahh I should never look at your blog at night; it always makes me hungry!
crispy goat cheese in an arugula and roasted butternut squash salad.
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I’m following you on twitter and tweeted: I just entered to win a holiday baking gift set from @loveandoliveoil and @chavrie! Enter here: http://bit.ly/s6BsJS
Rolled in herbs on crackers or in pancakes in place of ricotta.
I love goat cheese and this cheesecake looks amazing!!! I would definitely venture out and a cheesecake using goat cheese instead!
Looks delicious! My favorite holiday goat cheese recipe is an amazing tart with goat cheese & butternut squash. Perfect for Thanksgiving!
tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/loveolamb/status/138828879124111361
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I would use goat cheese as a spread for crostini with roasted garlic and sun dried tomatoes. Yum!
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goat cheese makes my mouth water just thinking about it… i love a scoop of it right on top of a pasta dish… it starts to melt a bit and when you take a bit of the cheese and some pasta on the same bite, you get contrasting temperatures, textures, flavors, etc… divine!!
Goat cheese souffle. Yum!
I would mix in some cinnamon and honey and walnuts and cranberries and a dash of orange rind and use it as a spread on toasted brioche or hallah bread!!! YUMMY!!!!!
Shouldn’t my first cheesecake be made from goat cheese? :-) Yes, I thought so as well!
soft goat cheese layered between tomatoes drizzled with balsamic vingear ! delicious
Hello. I actually am a classic kind of gal. I am going to make a nice lite salad with some goat cheese crumbled on time- gives it a nice tangy taste. :)
I have been waiting for the time to make Goat Cheese Chocolate Truffles! I cant wait to see your posts for Thanksgiving! Im also a fan on facebook.
pumpkin cake with goat cheese frosting mmmmm…
I use goat cheese on everything…but I would love to do a little appetizer with goat cheese and pears.
Goat Cheese and Roasted Beet Salad
I love goat cheese! I use it in salads, to spread on crackers, on pizzas, and in soups!
So many uses! Would use on pizza, on bruschetta, in salads, on burgers, endless!
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I eat goat cheese 52 weeks of the year – sometimes for breakfast on a rice cake with a drizzle of honey or fig jam; for dinner on halves of small tomatoes (and Chavrie is never out of stock in my fridge) and sprinkled on salad. I started eating goat cheese for health reasons and would up becoming addicted to it – there is so much variety – my husband groans when we go into Whole Foods and I head to the cheese counter.
The bigger question is how wouldn’t I use goat cheese? Midnight snack smeared over leftover dinner rolls with a drizzle of honey…In an ice cream with a swirl of fig preserves (in my freezer right now)…On a platter with beautiful salamis and a sheep’s milk cheese, my other favorite. I also already like you on facebook. Looking forward to trying this one!
Chavrie is my all time favorite! Love those little plastic containers. Too bad my local grocery just stopped carrying them . . . I use goat cheese all the time. It’s great on zucchini slices, topped with a sun-dried tomato and drizzled with olive oil (that was last Thanksgiving), and on breakfast sandwiches (better than cheddar!). This Thanksgiving, since my sister and I are cooking all day again, I can guarantee that goat cheese will be used both for snacking and in Fresh Figs with Goat Cheese and Peppered Honey . . . recipe sound familiar? :)