2 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1½ tablespoons all purpose flour
1¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 large eggs, room temperatureCandied Pecans (see recipe)Dulce de Leche (see recipe)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind shortbread cookies and pecans in processor. Add melted butter and process until crumbs are moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Bake crust until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add mascarpone and flour; beat until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula. Gradually add sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla and lemon juice. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Pour filling over crust in pan. Place cake pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan.
Bake cheesecake until top is golden and cake is almost set (center 2 inches will move only slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cake on rack 1 hour. Remove foil from pan sides. Chill cake uncovered overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
Arrange Candied Pecans decoratively atop cake. Cut cake into wedges. Serve with Dulce de Leche.
These would also be good served on their own after dinner with coffee—or tossed in a salad. Makes about 1 cup
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons waterPinch of cream of tartar
¾ cup pecan halves
Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; spray foil with nonstick spray. Combine sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and cream of tartar in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in pecans. Quickly pour mixture out onto prepared baking sheet. Using 2 forks and working quickly, separate pecans. Cool completely. Break candied pecans apart, leaving each pecan half intact with some crisp caramel attached.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
Dulce de leche is also delicious on ice cream, or you can even spread it on whole wheat toast. Makes about 1⅓ cups
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
½ cup sweetened condensed milk
Combine cream and sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil until mixture is reduced to 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in sweetened condensed milk.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium-low heat just until warm and pourable.
This cheesecake, which requires baking only the crust, has a silky texture that may remind you of panna cotta, the Italian custard dessert. The cake is made with mascarpone (Italian cream cheese), heavy cream, and gelatin instead of regular cream cheese and eggs. This would be a delicious addition to a Thanksgiving feast. 12 servings
1⅓ cups pecans, toasted
½ cup walnuts, toasted
½ cup (packed) golden brown sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3½ cups heavy whipping cream, divided
¼ cup water
3½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from 2 envelopes)
3½ cups plus 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (measured from four 8-ounce containers)
1¼ cups powdered sugar, siftedQuince Compote (see recipe)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coarsely grind all nuts and brown sugar in processor. Add melted butter and blend well. Press nut mixture onto bottom (not sides) of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Bake until crust is set, about 12 minutes. Cool crust completely.
Pour 3 cups cream into medium bowl. Pour ¼ cup water into medium heatproof bowl; sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes. Place bowl with gelatin in small skillet of barely simmering water; stir until gelatin dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove bowl from water. Pour remaining ½ cup cream into gelatin. Pour gelatin mixture into cream in bowl; whisk gently until well blended.
Using electric mixer, beat mascarpone and powdered sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add cream-gelatin mixture and beat just until blended. Pour filling over cooled crust. Cover and chill overnight.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.
Cut around pan sides to loosen cheesecake. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter. Cut cake into wedges and serve with Quince Compote.Ingredient Tip: QuinceAn ancient apple-like fruit used extensively in Asia and the Mediterranean, the quince is extremely hard, so is always cooked in recipe preparations. It’s used in preserves because of its high pectin content, and also in savory dishes like stews.
Quinces are golden yellow fruits that look a bit like pears, but are rounder and harder. Cooking transforms them from astringent to mellow. Look for them at the market in the fall. Makes about 3 cups
4 pounds quinces, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into ½-inch cubes
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 cups dry white wine
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
Bring quinces, water, sugar, and wine to boil in heavy large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until fruit is soft, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer fruit to bowl. Boil juices uncovered until reduced to 3 cups, about 30 minutes. Pour syrup over fruit. Cover and chill overnight. Remove vanilla bean before serving.
This cake gets intense almond flavor from almond paste, almond extract, and ground almonds—and that flavor pairs beautifully with the blackberry and sour cream topping. Almond paste can be found in the baking section of most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and some online retailers. 8 to 10 servings
Crust
1 7-ounce tube almond paste
6 whole graham crackers, coarsely broken
½ cup whole almonds, toasted, cooled
¼ cup (½ stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
Filling
½ cup sugar