Fresh Cheese Cheesecake Tarts with Huckleberries
YIELD: 12 INDIVIDUAL (3-INCH) TART PANS / 12 SERVINGS
It is a well-known fact that President Barack Obama loves huckleberry pie. The first one we ever made for him was served on a flight aboard Air Force One from Chicago to Washington, to celebrate his 50th birthday with those on board. The second time Eli’s made a huckleberry dessert for President Obama was on a visit to Chicago for a fundraiser at the home of Grace Tsao-Wu and Craig Freedman. Tara Lane, a coauthor of this book, baked pies for the Obamas from the time the President was a senator and lived in Chicago until the family moved to Washington, DC. This time, Tara made deconstructed individual cheesecakes with a delicious fresh huckleberry topping, served warm. Once again, the President saved his dessert to have on the way back to the White House.
A thank-you note from President Obama regarding the huckleberry cheesecake.
Shopping List
FOR THE HUCKLEBERRY COMPOTE:
2½ cups frozen huckleberries
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
FOR THE SHORTBREAD CRUST:
1½ sticks (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
FOR THE ALMOND STREUSEL:
½ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup slivered almonds
FOR THE FRESH CHEESE BATTER:
½ cup ricotta cheese, room temperature
6 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
½ cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
½ cup sour cream, room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
1 tablespoon cake flour
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 large egg whites, room temperature
4 large egg yolks, room temperature
1. Prepare the Huckleberry Compote (see recipe on p. 126). Follow the recipe as directed and store in the refrigerator until ready for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
3. Prepare the Shortbread Crust (see recipe on p. 110). Follow the recipe as directed through Step 4. Place the 12 tartlet pans on a pair of baking sheets. Roll out the dough in a circular shape to ¼-inch thick. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut out 12 4-inch discs of dough. Using your fingers, press the discs into the tart pans, making sure to evenly spread the dough on the bottom and up the sides of each pan. Use a paring knife to trim away any excess dough. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake for 12 minutes, until golden brown. Note: Tart crusts bake quickly—set your timer to be sure you don’t overbake the crusts. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
4. Prepare the Almond Streusel recipe (see p. 114). Follow the recipe as directed. Set aside until ready for use.
5. Prepare the Fresh Cheese batter (see recipe on pp. 95). Follow the recipe as directed.
6. Lower the oven temperature to 275°F. Using a piping bag, pour the Fresh Cheese batter into the prepared tart shells. Fill each shell to the top and gently tap the side of the baking pan to smooth or level out the filling. Note: This is a very light and fragile batter, so be careful not to overwork it.
7. Transfer the baking sheets to the oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the centers are slightly firm to the touch. Watch the tarts carefully throughout the baking time, as you must take care not to overbake them. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
8. Refrigerate for 1 hour to completely set before garnishing.
9. Garnish each tart with a few spoonfuls of the Huckleberry Compote and sprinkle the Almond Streusel over the berries. Serve.
Juanita plating up the Huckleberry Cheesecake for the President on-site.
Our favorite locally sourced goat cheese comes from Capriole Farms in Greenville, Indiana.