I love making this recipe . . . it’s cheesecake for people who don’t usually like cheesecake.
SKILL LEVEL Intermediate
TIME 2 hours
YIELD 10 individual 3-inch (7.5 cm) cheesecakes or 1 large 8-inch (20 cm) cake
SPECIAL TOOLS
Silicone baking mat to fit the quarter sheet pan (optional)
Ruler (optional)
Stand mixer with whisk attachment
Ten 3-inch (7.5 cm) metal ring molds1
Whisk
Uncut piping bag
Ateco #805 plain tip (7/16-inch/1.1 cm diameter)
Blowtorch
INGREDIENTS
ALMOND BISCUIT
Egg whites (large) |
3 each |
3 each (90 grams) |
Nonstick cooking spray (optional) |
as needed |
as needed |
Confectioners’ sugar |
1/3 cup |
45 grams |
Almond flour |
1/2 cup |
45 grams |
Whole egg (large) |
1 each |
1 each (30 grams) |
Egg yolk (large) |
1 each |
1 each (20 grams) |
All-purpose flour, sifted |
1/3 cup |
36 grams |
Granulated sugar |
2 1/2 tablespoons |
33 grams |
CHEESECAKE MOUSSE
Heavy cream |
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon |
85 grams |
Gelatin sheet (160 bloom)2 |
1/2 each |
1/2 each |
Granulated sugar |
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon |
80 grams |
Lemon juice |
2 tablespoons |
26 grams |
Whole-milk ricotta cheese |
2 1/4 cups |
528 grams |
Granulated sugar (to brûlée) |
as needed |
as needed |
1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 380°F (195°C) for conventional or 355°F (180°C) for convection. Line a quarter sheet pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.3
2. Combine the confectioners’ sugar, almond flour, and whole egg in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Beat on low speed until combined, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Turn the speed to high and mix for 1 minute more. The batter will become pale yellow and fluffy.
3. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Using the rubber spatula, fold in the egg yolk. When the yolk is completely incorporated, carefully fold in the all-purpose flour. Overmixing the batter at this stage will result in a tough biscuit. Transfer the batter to a medium bowl.
4. Wash and dry the mixer bowl and whisk, making sure they are clean and free of any residue. Place the egg whites in the mixer bowl. Whip the egg whites on medium speed until frothy. With the mixer still on medium, slowly stream in one-third of the granulated sugar and continue to whip until the sugar is incorporated. Whip in the remaining sugar in two additions.4
5. With the rubber spatula, fold one-third of the meringue into the batter. Once incorporated, add the remaining meringue, folding gently to avoid deflating the batter. When finished, the batter will be cream-colored, and you will see bubbles on its surface.
6. Pour the batter onto the middle of the quarter sheet pan. Using the spatula, spread the batter to fill the pan. (If you are using a larger sheet pan, spread it to fill the outline of the rectangle.) Overworking the batter at this point will result in a tough biscuit. Try to spread the batter as quickly and evenly as possible. When finished, the biscuit should be about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick.
7. Bake the biscuit on the center rack for 5 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for 5 minutes more. When finished, the biscuit will be light brown and will spring back when touched in the center.
8. Let the biscuit, still on the parchment paper, cool completely.
9. Invert onto another piece of parchment and carefully peel off the original parchment paper. Using a 3-inch (7.5 cm) ring mold as a guide, cut 10 circles of biscuit just slightly smaller than the ring mold. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside until needed.5
MAKE CHEESECAKE MOUSSE
1. Whisk the cream in a medium bowl until it doubles in volume and holds a stiff peak. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.6
2. Soak the gelatin sheet in a bowl of ice water until soft, about 20 minutes. If using powdered gelatin, sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 grams) gelatin over 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 grams) water in a small bowl, stir, and let sit 20 minutes to bloom. Squeeze any excess water out of the gelatin sheet.7
3. Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a medium pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat to fully dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and add the bloomed gelatin. Whisk until the gelatin is fully dissolved. Set the syrup aside, keeping it warm.
4. Gently whisk the ricotta in another medium bowl to break up any large lumps. Slowly whisk the warm lemon syrup into the ricotta until fully blended.
5. With the rubber spatula, gently fold one-third of the whipped cream into the ricotta so as not to deflate the cream. Fold in the remaining two-thirds of the whipped cream. When finished, the cheesecake mixture will have a uniform consistency similar to yogurt.
6. Cut the tip of a piping bag to snugly fit a #805 plain tip. Twist the bottom of the bag around the tip to prevent the cheesecake mousse from spilling out. Using a rubber spatula, place 2 large scoops of cheesecake mousse in the bag so that it is one-third full.
ASSEMBLE AND BRÛLÉE
1. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper. Place ten 3-inch (7.5 cm) ring molds on the sheet pan. Place a circle of almond biscuit in the center of each mold. Holding the piping bag about 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the center of the almond biscuit, pipe in the cheesecake mousse to fill the mold. When it is filled to the top, slowly lift the piping bag away while still piping. This will help give the cheesecake a dome-like top. Repeat until all the molds are filled. Freeze until completely solid, 2 to 3 hours.
2. Remove the cheesecakes from the freezer. Warm the molds by rubbing your hands around the sides until the cheesecakes slide out. Put them all back in the freezer for a few minutes. Take only one or two out of the freezer at a time and place the unmolded cheesecakes on a wire rack or a sheet pan.8
3. Sprinkle a thin, even layer of granulated sugar on top of a cheesecake. Holding the blowtorch about 1 inch (2.5 cm) away from the cake, caramelize the sugar with a focused, high flame (this is very similar to making crème brûlée). When the first layer of sugar is completely caramelized, sprinkle 2 teaspoons (10 g) more granulated sugar on the caramelized surface and brûlée again. Repeat this step one more time for a total of three layers. Repeat with the remaining cheesecakes.9
4. When all the cheesecakes have been brûléed, place them in the refrigerator to thaw completely, 2 to 3 hours.
1. If you would like a larger or smaller cake, feel free to use different size ring molds.
2. If you can’t find gelatin sheets, use powdered gelatin. One gelatin sheet = 1 scant teaspoon (2.3 grams) powdered gelatin. For every teaspoon of gelatin, bloom in 1 tablespoon (15 grams) water.
3. If you do not have a quarter sheet pan, draw a rectangle 10 by 8 inches (25 by 20 cm) on a piece of parchment paper in pencil, flip the parchment over, and use it to line a larger pan.
Spraying a light coat of nonstick cooking spray on the sheet pan and then placing the parchment over it is a good way to “glue” the parchment in place.
4. By adding the sugar in stages, you ensure that the sugar will dissolve completely and the meringue will retain as much volume as possible. When finished, the meringue will be light and fluffy and hold a soft peak.
5. Don’t worry if you can’t cut 10 full circles in the biscuits. Use the scraps to create the tenth base; the cheesecake mousse will hold the biscuit together when frozen.
6. Whipped cream will remain stable for up to 1 hour. After that it starts to separate and needs to be whipped again.
7. Make sure to squeeze out excess moisture from the gelatin sheet. Otherwise, you risk adding moisture to the cheesecake, which will result in a softer-than-desired consistency.
8. If the cheesecake mousse is not cold enough, it will melt as you brûlée the sugar. Check to make sure it’s completely frozen before using the blowtorch.
9. By layering the sugar in this way, you create a caramelized surface that can stay crunchy even after several hours in the refrigerator.
When caramelizing the sugar, it is important to work quickly to prevent the cheesecake from melting.
SERVING INSTRUCTIONS Serve directly from the refrigerator.
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS The cheesecakes should be consumed within 24 hours of thawing. Unbrûléed cheesecakes can be kept in the freezer, wrapped well, for up to 1 week.