French Cheesecake - Tourteau Fromager... You gotta make it!

Here in the Bay Area the sun is getting strong – more like summer than spring. We are having a long drought in California, and the green of winter/spring is already turning brown. My small backyard is more like a jungle than usual for late April… and at its unruly peak. Now is the time to enjoy the cool evenings, which make me think about warm French springs, fresh goat cheese, and… cheesecake!

In France you often see this cake in the cheese shop rather than pastry shops. It is made with fresh goat cheese and baked in a very hot oven, which is why the top is dark but the inside is soft and moist. If you are interested to see what the traditional/original Tourteau Fromager looks like,
check these images.

It’s nothing like the typical American cheesecake. I’ve been baking this quite often recently and never get tired of it; I think because it is so light, not too sweet, and perfect to eat with fresh strawberries (another one of my favorite things about spring). I enjoy a small slice of the cake with a good cup of tea, or even a small glass of Cognac or other bandy after dinner.

You may use Fromage Blanc (farmers cheese) if, like some of my friends, you don’t like goat cheese. Whichever cheese you use, this is sure to be une découverte magnifique!  

French Cheesecake (Tourteau Fromager) -- using soft fresh goat cheese

Recipe adapted and modified from My Paris Kitchen, by David Lebovitz  

For one 9-inch springform pan (serves 10-12)

Sweet pastry dough (Pâte Sablée):

1½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 large egg, beaten

4 ounces (110g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

2 tablespoons water

Filling:

10 ounces mild fresh goat cheese (or Fromage Blanc)

2 tablespoons sour cream or crème fraiche

1 cup (200g) sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon Cognac or brandy (optional)

4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature

Scant ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour

Fresh berries in season (optional) as garnish

Preparation:

1.      To make crust, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl, by hand), combine the flour, sugar and salt. Add the chilled butter and beat on low until the butter is crumbled and mixture resembles cornmeal. Add the eggs and ice water and beat until the dough comes together.

Gather the dough and shape into a flat disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to one day.

2.      Preheat the oven to 425F (210C).

3.      Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a 15-inch circle. Fit the dough into a 9-10 inch springform pan, lifting the sides of the dough and releasing it to ease the dough into the corner of the pan without stretching it, then press it gently to adhere it to the sides. Trim any overhang with a sharp knife.

4.      To make filling, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a bowl, by hand), beat the goat cheese with the sour cream, half of the sugar, the vanilla, and the cognac on medium speed until well combined. Replace the paddle attachment with the whip attachment and add the egg yolks. Beat on medium-high speed (or use a sturdy whisk and whip by hand) until smooth, then mix in the flour.

5.      In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold their shape.  Add the remaining sugar and whip until the whites hold their shape when you lift the whip attachment. Fold one-third of the whites into the goat cheese mixture, and then fold in the remaining whites in two batches, just until you no longer see any streaks of egg white in the batter.

6.      Scrape the batter into the dough-lined pan and smooth the top.  Bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven door. Decrease the oven temperature to 375F (195C), and continue to bake for 15 minutes. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack, and then carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. Slice and serve the cake at room temperature. 

Tiramisu for Those Who Love Chocolate

When I was a bit younger (a lot younger) busy cooking in restaurants in the ‘80^s, tiramisu made a sensational debut and became a very popular dessert in chic restaurants not only in the U.S. but around the globe.  It is a very simple cold dessert, but this combination of Italian cream cheese (mascarpone), strong coffee (espresso) and liquor flavor was a very fresh idea – so provocative and enchanting to the palate that no one could resist it. I, too, instantly loved it when I first tasted it. Since then tiramisu has become the number one Italian dessert (something like sushi has become for Japanese food in America).

What I really like about this dessert (besides that all pretty women will be impressed if you can make it) is that it is very easy to make: You just mix the ingredients and assemble... no baking. The only problem is that people cannot wait to taste it before it has chilled/set for at least a few hours.  It is a great dessert any time of the year – whether in summer or during the winter holidays. These days I often put some shaved dark chocolate on top, to make it ... over the top!

I have tried many different recipes but this one is simple and comes out perfect. Nowadays domestic mascarpone is widely available in supermarkets. However, you should try using imported Italian Mascarpone. It is creamier and more flavorful, and you can taste the difference in the results. If you cannot find lady finger cookies (Amazon has them), you can make your own (even a gluten-free version). You can also use sponge cake (which I often do at work) or simple butter or sugar cookies instead. 

Tiramisù

6-8 servings

1/4 cup (125ml) espresso at room temperature

1-2 tablespoons dark rum, brandy or grappa

3 “very fresh” large eggs, separated, at room temperature

1/2 cup (100g) sugar, divided

8 ounces (250g) mascarpone at room temperature

About 20 Italian ladyfingers/Savoiardi (7 ounces/200 g)

1 ounce (30g) bittersweet chocolate, shaved

Unsweetened cocoa powder, for sprinkling between layers and on top

1.      In a small bowl combine the espresso with rum or cognac. Set aside.

2.      In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk, or by hand, beat the egg whites until they begin to get stiff. Beat in half of the sugar until stiff. Set aside.

3.      In a medium-sized bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until thick and light-colored, about 2 minutes. By hand, beat in the mascarpone with a spatula or whisk, until lump-free.

4.      With a large spatula, fold in half of the beaten egg whites gently, then the remaining half, just until fully incorporated.

5.      Place a single layer of 12 ladyfingers (two rows of six each, end to end) in a 9-inch (22.5-cm) square baking dish or glass dish. Dip a pastry brush into the coffee mixture and brush/soak the biscuits with the liquid. Spread about half of the mascarpone cream over the biscuits. Sprinkle with about one half of the grated chocolate and cocoa powder.

6.      Repeat with a second layer of the biscuits, brush the biscuits with remaining liquid, and cover with the remaining mascarpone cream. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, allowing the cream to firm up slightly and the biscuits to absorb some of the liquid, preferably overnight.

If using individual cups (about 6-ounce), put a heaping soupspoon of the mascarpone cream into each individual glass cup/ramekin. Break a ladyfinger and place onto the cream. Brush or drip espresso mixture onto ladyfinger and top with some shaved chocolate and cocoa powder.  Repeat with a second layer of biscuit and remaining liquid, and then cover with remaining mascarpone cream. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until firm – at least 3-4 hours. Use about 2-3 ladyfingers per individual cup.

To serve, divide the tiramisu into rectangular slices and transfer to chilled dessert plates. Right before serving, shake powdered cocoa generously on top and add more shaved chocolate.

Note:  I used an 11-inch x 7-inch (2 quarts) Pyrex glass baking dish for the photography. The Italian ladyfingers I used are 4-inches long and 1-inch wide. 

Wine with screw cap, no cork

I am a minimalist but also a traditionalist. Until a little while ago I did not pay any attention to wine in bottles with a screw-top cap. They are normally associated with cheap, poor quality wines. However, I am changing my policy, or, maybe I should say, my stereotype about these wines. Some of them are quite good  these days, and there is that convenience factor -- no corkscrew is required to get into the bottle. It may also be good for those who suffer stiffness and hand pain such as carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis (my right hand is getting it). And then there is the time and expense of teaching new service staff how to use a waiter’s corkscrew to open a bottle. I have to give my staff a lot of practice opening "sacrificial" wines, and that costs $$ (my boss is not happy!). Unfortunately, some people never can get the hang of it (or maybe they just want to drink a lot of wine).

Anyway, more and more wines are coming in screw-cap bottles these days. I recently visited my favorite neighborhood wine shop, K&L Wines, and was surprised to see many screw-cap wines available in the mid-price range/quality (around $20-$30 a bottle); some of them are even more expensive ($40-$50). I noticed that many are from Spain, New Zealand, Australia, Oregon and Washington, and it is gradually becoming more common among California wines as well.

I still do not see many from France or Italy. However, I definitely prefer screw-cap wine to those with plastic or synthetic corks, which are quite often very hard to remove from the bottle and also hard to take out from the corkscrew. Bravo screw cap!

Riesling and Gewürztraminer—Perfect Wines for Spring!

Spring is my favorite time of year. It's the time of renewal, soft sunlight, warm air, new green leaves, flowers, rose-colored garlic, asparagus, strawberries, fresh goat cheese and good milk chocolate. Everything smells fresh and tastes good.  And we can finally go out again with light and colorful spring outfits and walk through the warm breeze.

When it comes to wine, I highly recommend enjoying two light, aromatic white wines right now -- Riesling and Gewürztraminer.  Just as you are now wearing silky light shirts, cotton pants and slip-on shoes rather than a heavy winter jacket, wool pants and boots, it's time to hang up the rich Cabernet Sauvignons, Syrahs and Chardonnays a little while. Riesling and Gewürztraminer are the perfect wines for spring -- they make you feel rejuvenated and refreshed!

Riesling and Gewürztraminer are not well known in America, but they are generally affordable and easy to drink. The wines are fairly dry, but with a slightly sweet style, aromatic and intensely flavorful, yet delicate enough for light and elegant spring meals (composed salad, seafood pasta, sushi and other light but also a bit spicy Asian foods like Thai and Vietnamese dishes). Another good thing is that many of the wines are lower in alcohol (often below 10%), particularly Riesling.

At the wine shop, Riesling and Gewürztraminer  are easy to spot. They are both in tall slender bottles called a “hock” or Rhine, normally colored brown in Germany’s Rhine region and green in Alsace, France and the Mosel region of Germany. This shape is used elsewhere for grape varieties associated with Riesling and Gewürztraminer.

The following descriptions of Riesling and Gewürztraminer are from “Wine for Women, A guide to Buying, Pairing, and Sharing Wine,” by Leslie Sbrocco, published by William Morrow:

The Grape Story

Both Gewurztraminer and Riesling are highly aromatic varieties, but have uniquely different personalities. The two share intensely floral, spicy, and fruity qualities and an uncanny ability to age, yet Gewurztraminer shows its appeal the minute it’s poured. Riesling tends to be more reserved, revealing itself slowly in the glass.

Gewurztraminer: The Flower of the Vine

When you pour Gewurztraminer, a mélange of floral, fruity, and spice aromas jumps from the glass and begs you to take a sip. Once you do, the wine can range from crisp and fresh to soft and smooth, depending on its birthplace.

    Though Gewurztraminer reaches its pinnacle of expression in the French region of Alsace, the name comes from the German word for “spiced—gewürz. The traminer par harks to a village named Tramin in northern Italy, which is where the grape is thought to have originated.

    Like Pinot Gris, the skin of Gewurztraminer grape is more deeply colored than many other white grapes. Its pinkish/golden skin often imparts a more golden color and gives the wine oomph. The acidity is generally lower than in Riesling, which adds to the wine’s voluptuous character.

The Incredible Lightness of Riesling

While Gewurztraminer is a crowd pleaser, Riesling can be a bit harder to understand. Some Rieslings are fruity and lightly sweet, while others are so steely and acidic they take years to soften and express themselves. For lovers of the elusive grape, though, there’s nothing better. It is arguably the world’s greatest white variety and produces wines of ethereal lightness and complexity.

    Riesling can smell of minerals and fruit (peach, apricot). In the mouth there’s a sparkling snap of acidity and juicy freshness. But in its youth it can be angular, like a young supermodel’s face. When the best wines age, however, they become fleshy and immensely interesting.

    While delicious Rieslings can come from a variety of locations around globe, the grape’s origin is Germany. It is planted all over the country in cool to downright cold regions. Riesling gleefully takes the climatic abuse and keeps coming back for more, thriving in conditions that would make most other varieties run for the sun.

    That’s because Germany pushes the northernmost limit for growing grapes. To maximize their exposure to the sun and actually get the fruit ripe, winegrowers in places like the Mosel River Valley plant vineyards on slopes that would make skiers salivate. It works, though, because the grapes get ripe, gloriously so in many cases, and produce some of the world’s most coveted white wines.

And of course many other countries and regions produce good Riesling and Gewurztraminer: California, New York, Oregon and Washington State in the U.S., Austria, Australia, Chili, Italy and New Zealand. Each region produces interesting characteristics due to different climates, soils and winemakers. Cooler climate regions tend to produce wines that are light and crisp; in warmer regions, the wines are ripe, flavorful and more aromatic. However it’s all a matter of style, so try discovering the differences. They are all delicious. Cheers!

Note:  In Germany Riesling is made in a variety of styles ranging from dry to very sweet: Kabinet --dry and light, Spätlese – semi-sweet and full-bodied, Auslese -- sweeter, Beerenaulese – sweet, strong, intense, and Eiswein-- very sweet, big flavored, sharp, concentrated. So make sure you identify the variety on the label. Also, the sweeter wines are more expensive than the dry ones -- Auslese and Beerenaulese are very expensive. California produces high-quality dry, fruity and slightly sweet Rieslings, sometimes called Johannisberg Riesling. California also makes excellent Late Harvest wines from botrytis-infected grapes (as are France’s famous Sauternes). Oregon and Washington State produce good Riesling also.

For more interesting wine information go to:

http://www.gourmetnotes.com/uploads/basic_20wine_20guide_20112007.pdf

Quatre-quarts Cake – French Pound Cake with Chocolate

Pound Cake has become an American classic, although it is originally from Europe. It’s the first dessert I was served when I was invited to a home dinner here in America. I still remember it was served with vanilla ice cream, then whipped cream and strawberries. I thought dessert is most important in America. Since then I have eaten it countless times and in countless variations. It can be jazzed up with dried fruits, nuts, blueberries, coffee, cocoa... just about anything.

I have made pound cake both at home and for work. I often mix a small mashed/chopped banana into the batter, which makes the cake moist (but you’ll need to bake it about 10 minutes longer) and creates a great aroma in the kitchen.  However, people still ask me why it’s called “pound cake” and what is the recipe.  I found out a long time ago, because, well, you know, I am a cook... I needed to know.

Quatre-quarts means  “four fourths” or “four quarters” in French. It has four main ingredients – egg, butter, sugar and flour – in about equal amounts, originally a pound each (which makes a very large cake). That is why it’s called pound cake, which makes sense!  Using this recipe, the cake comes out soft and light, because powdered sugar is used instead of granulated sugar. It is simple but delicious, and is the perfect cake for spring!

Quatre-quarts au beurre salé et au chocolat – Pound cake with salted butter and 

chocolate chips

Recipe adapted from Cuisine et Vins, Février – Mars 2011, N°138

Makes 8-10 servings

1 loaf pan (1 ¼ quarts-5 cups)

Ingredients:

4 oz (110 g) dark chocolate chips

4 large eggs

7 oz (200 g) salted butter at room temperature, preferably French style + 1 tablespoon for the pan

7 oz (200 g) powder/confectioners’ sugar

7 oz (200 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1.       Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease the pan with 1 tablespoon butter and dust with flour. In a medium-size mixing bowl or stand mixer at medium speed, cream the butter  then slowly add the powdered sugar until completely incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time until well mixed.

2.       In a small bowl, mix the flour and the baking powder then sift them together into another bowl or onto baking/wax paper. Using a whisk or rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the batter,  1/3 of the flour mixture at a time until just combined; do not over mix.

3.       Pour  the batter into the pan. Then spread the chocolate chips over the batter. Using your wet fingers or rubber spatula or spoon,  push the chocolate chips into the batter. Bake in center of the oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

4.       Cool/rest the pan on a wire rack at least 10-15 minutes before unmolding the cake. This cake is best served warm. Top with whipped heavy cream and fresh berries if you wish.

For more fun chocolate information (and mouth-watering photos), go to

http://www.gourmetnotes.com/uploads/Chocolate_final.pdf