NECTARINE AND BLACK PEPPER CHEESECAKE

NECTARINE AND BLACK PEPPER CHEESECAKE image

Yield 8-10 9" cake

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 ripe nectarines, pitted, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus extra melted butter for brushing the pan.
1 ½ cups graham-cracker crumbs
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 ¼ cups mascarpone, at room temperature
10 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
10 ounces fresh ricotta, drained, at room temperature
1 tablespoon almond extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream

Steps:

1.In pan, heat oil over med. heat til just smoking.+ nectarine slices,saute 2mins until just soft+black pepper,toss mix well. Transfer to a strainer,set strainer on a plate to catch juices,allow to cool.2. Preheat oven 325 degrees.3. Brush melted butter over bottom & sides of 3" dep 9-inch springform pan. Place r parchment paper on the bottom of pan.4. In a bowl, combine graham-cracker crumbs, 8 TBSP melted butter, + 1 TBSP sugar. Stir together thoroughly. Press mixture in bottom pan. 5.In a heavy-duty mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat mascarpone on med. speed 30 sec. +cream cheese, ricotta and remaining 1c. sugar, mix on low speed for 30 sec. Scrape sides of bowl, mix on medium speed for 2 min.6. In separate bowl, whisk together almond extract, eggs and heavy cream.7.With mixer low speed, slowly pour in liquid mixture, stop/scrap bowl 2-3 times to incorporate all ingredients. Using spatula,gently stir in drained nectarines(reserve drained liquid in small bowl) until completely combined.8. Prepare a water bath by filling a broiler pan or a baking dish halfway with hot tap water. Place pan in oven. Use foil to cover the bottom and sides of the springform pan so that water does not get in.9.Pour the prepared mixture into springform.Setspringform pan in water bath. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours, til ccake is set.10Turn oven off, open oven door, allow ccake to stand in the turned-off oven for 30 minutes. Remove springform from the water bath, place in ref- chill for 3 hours.11.Shortly before serving, pour reserved drained nectarine liq. into a small saucepan,reduce it slowly over low heat until syrupy.12.Remove pan sides and transfer ccake to a platter. Slice with hot knife (warm it under hot running water, dry it, and slice), and serve each slice with a drizzle of nectarine syrup