Individual Mascarpone Cheesecakes with Huckleberry Compote

By Hklbrries

From executive chef Bryan Franz of the Davenport Hotel. Serve these small cheesecakes topped with huckleberry compote, pistachio tuiles and a sprig of fresh mint. You’ll need a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients for the pistachio tuiles or substitute a crunchy purchased cookie.


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Whether you’re serving an elegant evening meal for the Easter holiday or a more casual brunch, the arrival of spring begs for desserts with a seasonal flair.

“I love that Easter and spring arrive together because it means that I can start baking with fresh fruit,” says Gina Garcia, of Cake.

Garcia’s new bakery, an expansion to Chaps in the Latah Creek Shopping Center on South Cheney Spokane Road, is scheduled to open soon.

She shared a trifle recipe that comes together quickly with layers of lemon pound cake and lemon custard with fresh berries.

“My family is Italian and we typically celebrate Easter with a fruit trifle made with zabaglione, a frothy custard flavored with marsala,” Garcia says. “I have adapted this dessert for folks who may not like the sharp flavor of Marsala.

“In the recipe, I have made a lemon custard which is just tart enough to contrast nicely with the sweet berries.”

For those who are up for more of a challenge, Europa pastry chef Christie Sutton shared a recipe for a classic French dessert called pithiviers (pronounced pee-tee-vyay).

“I was just trying to come up with something a little different,” she says. “The light and flaky pastry just makes me think of Easter.”

The layers of puff pastry surround a rich almond filling and raspberry preserves. Sutton tops the dessert with fresh fruit and powdered sugar and serves it slightly warm or at room temperature.

Davenport Hotel executive chef Bryan Franz shared a recipe for individual mascarpone cheesecakes topped with huckleberry compote. (Substitute blueberries if your freezer stash of the wild berries is gone.)

He tops the cheesecakes with the compote and mint leaves for garnish, along with a pistachio tuile – a crunchy French cookie.

Decorated sugar cookies are a popular item for Easter at Carolyn’s Cake, Candy and Cookie Supplies, says new owner Michele Clemons.

Clemons purchased the store, 1705 N. Hamilton St., from original owner Carolyn Largent last April. She shared the recipe instructors give to students in classes.

She recommends decorating the cookies with candy melts rather than royal icing. The candy comes in an array of colors that can be melted and poured into squeeze bottles for easy decorating.

The store offers decorating classes for cookie bouquets, as well as cake decorating instruction. A new series of classes will be announced soon.

I couldn’t resist throwing in a few more recipes for good measure. White chocolate dipped strawberries with citrus sugar are finished quickly and have a nice seasonal flavor.

Coconut cupcakes drew raves all around when a friend made them recently. (They’re the grown-up version of the coconut-topped bunny cake my grandmother sometimes made for the holiday.)

And I’m using up the end of last year’s rhubarb in the Rhubarb Custard Bars from Cooking Light’s newest cookbook, to make room in the freezer for this year’s crop.

Ingredients

• For the individual cheesecakes:
• 8 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1 ounce sour cream
• 1.5 ounces granulated sugar (about 3 generous tablespoons)
• 1 whole egg
• 1 egg white
• 2 ounces heavy cream, (40 percent, if possible)
• 1/4 of the zest of a medium-size lemon
• For the pistachio tuiles:
• .3 ounces ground pistachio dust
• .6 ounces granulated sugar
• .2 ounces pastry flour
• .3 ounces melted unsalted butter
• .2 ounces orange juice
• For the huckleberry compote:
• 1 cup frozen huckleberries or blueberries
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 ounces port wine
• 1/4 of the zest from one orange
• Fresh mint leaves, to garnish

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

To make the cheesecakes: Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth, with no lumps. Spray four (4 ounces each) ramekins or aluminum tins generously with nonstick baking spray and coat with granulated sugar. Pour mix evenly into each ramekin or tin.

Place in a pan filled with warm water and bake at 325 F until slightly set and yellow on top, about 18 to 24 minutes; remove ramekins from water bath and refrigerate overnight. When ready to serve dip each in hot water, flip onto plate and rub in circular motion to release.

To make the pistachio tuiles: Mix all ingredients together and chill overnight. Cut desired template from heavy cardboard; place on greased sheet pan, silpat or parchment paper. Spread 1 ounce tuile batter in each template; repeat for remaining batter. Bake at 325 F until golden brown, about 5 minutes (watch carefully; these will easily over bake).

Remove from oven and let sit for 10 to 15 seconds, remove from baking sheets with spatula and drape over a wood rod while still warm. These will set up quickly.

To make the Huckleberry Compote: Place all ingredients in a saucepot over medium heat and cook until set, stirring often. It will take about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from heat and chill.