Bon Appetit Desserts (52 page)

Cooking dried fruits in Sherry and adding pineapple juice off the heat adds luscious moistness to the fruit; adding chopped mint and cilantro lends a sweet-savory touch. Dried mango, papaya, and pineapple are available at natural foods stores and specialty markets. Star anise, a star-shaped, slightly licorice-flavored seedpod, is available in the spice section of some supermarkets and at specialty food stores and Asian markets.
Makes about 3 cups

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 cup imported dry Sherry

2 cinnamon sticks

2 whole star anise

1 cup ½-inch dice dried mango

1 cup ½-inch dice dried papaya

½ cup ½-inch dice dried pineapple

½ cup raisins

Pineapple juice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into heavy medium saucepan. Add bean, Sherry, cinnamon sticks, and star anise. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Add all dried fruits; return to simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer until Sherry is almost evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix in enough pineapple juice by tablespoonfuls to moisten chutney. Transfer to bowl, cover, and chill until cold, at least 3 hours.

DO AHEAD
:
Chutney can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Remove vanilla bean, cinnamon sticks, and star anise from chutney. Mix in mint and cilantro and serve.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Guava Topping and Mango-Lime Salad

The Tropics get dressed up: An intensely vanilla-flavored cheesecake—prepared with two vanilla beans—is covered with a guava gelatin topping and accompanied by a refreshing salad of mango and lime (with a splash of rum to up the Caribbean influence). Because the cheesecake needs to chill after baking and again after the guava topping is added, begin preparing this two days ahead.
8 to 10 servings

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1¼ cups graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

3 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise

4 large eggs

¾ cup sour cream

2 tablespoons plus ½ cup water

1 ¼-ounce envelope unflavored gelatin

½ cup sugar

2 cups guava nectar or guava juice

Mango-Lime Salad (see recipe)

Sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

CRUST
: Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar in processor. Add melted butter; process until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Bake until crust is set and deep golden, about 12 minutes. Cool crust while making filling. Maintain oven temperature.

FILLING
: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar, then scrape in seeds from vanilla beans (reserve beans for another use); beat until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in sour cream. Pour filling over crust.

Bake cake until puffed, golden on top, set around edges, and center moves just slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (top may crack). Cool 30 minutes. Chill uncovered overnight. Using back of spoon, smooth any cracks on top of cake.

TOPPING
: Pour 2 tablespoons water into small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over; let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes. Bring sugar and remaining ½ cup water to boil in medium saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil until reduced to ½ cup, about 3 minutes. Add guava nectar to sugar syrup; stir over medium-low heat just until mixture is hot. Add gelatin mixture and stir just until gelatin dissolves. Place in freezer until topping begins to thicken slightly but is still pourable, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Spoon guava topping over cheesecake, spreading to edges. Chill until topping sets, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Cut around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Cut cake into wedges and transfer to plates. Spoon Mango-Lime Salad alongside. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Mango-Lime Salad

This would also make a nice salad for brunch—especially topped with toasted coconut; the recipe is easy to double or triple. To choose a flavorful mango, smell the stem end. You should get a whiff of pine and peaches. The mango is ripe if it gives slightly when pressed gently. For tips on dicing a mango, see page 34.
Makes about 2⅔ cups

3 firm but ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, cut into ¼-inch cubes

4½ tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1½ tablespoons dark rum

1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel

Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Deep Dark Chocolate Cheesecake

For this rich, dense dessert, you’ll want to use a delicious, top-tier bittersweet chocolate (with a 70% cacao content) like Scharffen Berger; if it’s not available, try Valrhona, Callebaut, or Lindt.
12 servings

24 chocolate wafer cookies (from one 9-ounce package)

1 tablespoon sugar

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted

1 9.7-ounce bar Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped

4 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature

1¼ cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Scharffen Berger)

4 large eggs

¾ cup heavy whipping cream

6 ounces Scharffen Berger bittersweet chocolate (70% cacao), chopped

1 tablespoon sugar

Bittersweet chocolate curls

CRUST
: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides. Blend cookies and sugar in processor until cookies are finely ground. Add melted butter and process until well blended. Press crumb mixture evenly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Bake just until crust is set, about 8 minutes. Cool while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

FILLING
: Stir chopped chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water; cool chocolate until lukewarm but still pourable. Blend cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder in processor until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Blend in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in lukewarm chocolate. Pour filling over crust; smooth top.

Bake cheesecake until center is just set and top looks dry, about 1 hour. Cool 5 minutes. Cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Place warm cake in pan in refrigerator and chill uncovered overnight.

TOPPING
: Stir cream, chopped chocolate, and sugar in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and topping is smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over center of cheesecake and spread to within ½ inch of edge, covering any cracks. Chill until topping is set, about 1 hour.

DO AHEAD
:
Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover with foil and keep chilled.

Cut around pan sides again; remove pan sides. Transfer cheesecake to platter. Top with chocolate curls. Let stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving.

Cappuccino Cheesecake