Mini Goat Cheesecakes
Recipe courtsey of Emily Weisberg, owner of Moss Cafe
For the pistachio crust:
1 heaping cup shelled, roasted, and salted pistachios (See Recipe Notes)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
1 (11-ounce) log mild goat cheese, room temperature (cream cheese works well too!)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (4 ounces) crème fraîche or full-fat sour cream, room temperature
2 tablespoons good-quality honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
Pinch of fine sea salt
3 large eggs
For the Meyer lemon cream:
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons Meyer lemon zest
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice, from 3 to 4 lemons (See Recipe Notes)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
For the candied pistachios:
1/2 cup shelled, roasted, and salted pistachios, finely chopped
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon hot water
For the pistachio crust:
Combine pistachios and sugar in food processor or mini chopper and process until it becomes a fine meal. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the melted butter; the mixture should resemble wet sand. Divide the dough evenly among 12 wells of a muffin pan filled with cupcake liners and press firmly into the bottom.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. While the oven is heating, refrigerate the crusts until chilled. Bake the crusts for 10 to 12 minutes until set. Cool completely before filling.
For the Filling:
Lower oven temperature to 300°F.
Combine the goat cheese and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and process for 1 minute. Add the crème fraiche, honey, vanilla, and salt and process for another 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed. With the food processor running, add the eggs through the feeding tube one at a time, and mix until just combined; do not overmix. (If you do not have a food processor you can whisk the ingredients by hand in the same order.)
Transfer the filling to a measuring cup with a pour spout and fill each cheesecake well almost to the top. Place the cheesecake pan on a sheet pan and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until cheesecakes are just barely set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill the cheesecakes for a minimum of 4 hours.
For the Meyer lemon cream, cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the eggs and yolks and beat for 1 minute, until well combined. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and continue mixing until incorporated. (The mixture will become curdled and lumpy upon adding the lemon juice, but it will smooth quickly upon heating.)
Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, continuously whisking, until the mixture reaches 165°F on an instant-read thermometer; the mixture should be just thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. Transfer to another bowl and press plastic directly on the surface. Let cool at room temperature until ready to serve. (Lemon cream will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week. The texture thickens as it chills; you can whisk a tablespoon or two of heavy cream to thin if needed.)
For the candied pistachios, spread chopped pistachios on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or sheet of parchment paper. Whisk the brown sugar and hot water to dissolve. Pour the mixture over the pistachios and toss to combine. Bake in a 350°F oven until golden and toasted, 8 to 10 minutes. Once cool, crumble the pistachios for serving.
To serve, drizzle with Meyer lemon crème and a sprinkle of candied pistachios.
Recipe Notes
If you can only find unsalted pistachios, add 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt to the pistachios when grinding.
If you can't find Meyer lemons, use regular lemons and add an extra tablespoon or two of sugar.
Goat Cheese can be substituted for cream cheese
