Honey Thyme Cheesecake

Honey Thyme Cheesecake

Graham Crackers:
Cream together:

• 1 ½ cups butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup honey

Add, mixing until fully incorporated:

• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Add, mixing completely:

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 Tablespoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon salt

Roll the cracker out about 1/8” thick and bake until golden brown. Allow to cool completely, then grind finely.

Blueberry Compote:
In a saucepan, combine:

• 1 pound blueberries
• ½ pound golden cane sugar
• Juice and zest of 2 lemons

Bring to a simmer very slowly, cook for one minute, then remove from heat.

Honey Thyme Cheesecake:
Bring to a boil:

• 1 cup water

Add and steep for 10 minutes:

• 1 cup thyme, stems & leaves

Strain and add enough water to make 1 cup again. Whisk in:

• 1 cup golden cane sugar

Bring back to a rolling boil and remove from heat. Pour ½ cup of the syrup into a microwaveable container. Bring the remaining syrup back to a boil and drop in:

• Sprigs of thyme (enough for service)

Blanch sprigs in thyme for about 2 minutes and remove from heat. Hold thyme sprigs in syrup.

In the microwave, melt in the reserved ½ cup syrup:

• 8 sheets gelatin, softened in cold water and drained.

In the mixer bowl, whisk together:

• 4 whole eggs
• 1 cup golden cane sugar

Place the mixer bowl over a pan of boiling water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk like crazy until the mixture is hot to the touch and begins to thicken. Place the mixer bowl on the mixer with the whisk and whisk on high speed until the sides of the bowl are room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, soften:

• 2 pounds Brebis cheese

When the egg mixture is room temperature, whisk 1/4 of it into the Brebis. Fold the remaining egg mixture into the Brebis, then add the gelatin mixture. Pass this mixture through a fine mesh chinois. Carefully whisk in:

• 2 cups crème fraîche

Pour the mixture into a flat, half sheet pan and freeze solid. When frozen, cut with the largest square cutter in the little box of square cutters. Cut 2/3 of the cake diagonally, about ½” from each corner. Cut the remaining 1/3 of the cake into the squares, then in quarters of the squares. Stack the small square on top of the triangle, in the square corner. Hold frozen during service.

– Maggie Davidson, Pastry Chef