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TROPICAL CHEESECAKE W/ COCONUT crust




Source of Recipe


Bon Appétit


Recipe Introduction


The shortbread cookie crumbs will hold together in the pan without any additional butter. Fromage blanc gives this cheesecake a light and silky texture


List of Ingredients




Crust
8 ounces (about 30) Coconut Shortbread Cookies:

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut* (about 3 ounces)
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread coconut on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until coconut is light golden, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.

Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Mix in salt and vanilla. Beat in flour in 2 additions. Stir in toasted coconut. Gather dough together; divide in half. Flatten each half into disk; wrap each in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured work surface to scant 1/4-inch thickness. Using 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter cookie cutters, cut dough into rounds. Transfer cookies to prepared baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Gather dough scraps and reroll; cut out additional cookies. Repeat procedure with remaining dough disk until all of dough is used.

Bake cookies until light golden, about 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool completely. (Can be made ahead. Store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.)

*Available at natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

Makes about 6 1/2 dozen.

Filling:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces fromage blanc* or fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese,** room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 large eggs

Topping:
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Unsweetened coconut chips,*** lightly toasted
Cut-up fresh tropical fruits

Recipe



For crust:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Finely grind cookies in processor. Press crumbs (about 1 1/2 cups) over bottom (not sides) of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 1/2-inch-high sides (layer will be thin). Bake until crust is crisp, about 10 minutes. Cool on rack while preparing filling. Maintain oven temperature.

For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat first 3 ingredients in large bowl until smooth. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until blended. Pour filling over crust in pan (mixture will not fill pan). Bake cake until filling is just set and puffed around edges, about 45 minutes (cake may crack).

For topping:
Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl to blend; spread over top of hot cake. Return cake to oven and bake 5 minutes. Run small knife between top edge of cake and pan. Chill cake uncovered overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)

Release pan sides. Sprinkle toasted coconut chips around top edge of cake. Serve cake with tropical fruits.

*Fromage blanc is sold at cheese stores, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.
**Fresh ricotta cheese is sold at Italian markets and some supermarkets.
***Unsweetened coconut chips are available at natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

Makes 12 servings