Chocolate Crusted Chèvre Cheesecake with Earl Grey Poached Pears & Pomegranate (gluten-free

• Produce

  • 1 Lemon, Juice of large
  • 3 tbsp Loose earl grey tea leaves
  • 4 Pears, medium firm ripe

• Refrigerated

  • 3 Eggs, large

• Baking & Spices

  • 1/2 cup Bob's red mill almond flour, such as
  • 1 15/16 cup Cane sugar, organic granulated
  • 1/2 cup Cocoa powder
  • 2 Scraped vanilla pods
  • 1/4 tsp Sea salt, fine
  • 2 tbsp Tapioca flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
  • 1 Vanilla beans, Seeds from
  • 5/8 cup White rice flour, sweet

• Dairy

  • 5 tbsp Butter, unsalted
  • 8 oz Cream cheese
  • 8 oz Goat cheese, fresh soft
  • 1 3/4 cup Sour cream

• Liquids

  • 4 cups Water

• Other

  • 1⁄4 plus 1⁄8 teaspoon fine sea salt

Found on bojongourmet.com

Description

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup (80 g) sweet white rice flour
• 1⁄2 cup (60 g) blanched almond flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1⁄2 cup (45 g) cocoa powder (preferably dutch-process)
• 
2 tablespoons (12 g) tapioca flour
• 1⁄4 cup (50 g) organic granulated cane sugar
• 1⁄4 plus 1⁄8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 5 tablespoon (70 g) cold, unsalted butter, diced into 1⁄2” cubes
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounce (230 g) fresh soft goat cheese, at room temperature
• 8 ounce (230 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup (165 g) organic granulated cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons (15 g) sweet white rice flour
• Seeds from 1-2 vanilla beans (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) sour cream
• 1 ½ cups (355 ml) sour cream
• 3 tablespoons (40 g) organic granulated cane sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups (950 ml) boiling water
• 3 tablespoons loose Earl Grey tea leaves
• ¾ cup (165 g) organic granulated cane sugar
• 2 scraped vanilla pods (from above)
• 4 medium, firm-ripe pears (such as Bosc), peeled, halved, cored
• juice of 1 large lemon

Directions

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375ºF.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the almond and sweet rice flours with the cocoa powder, tapioca starch, sugar and salt. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and drizzle with the vanilla extract. Turn the mixer to medium-low and run until the dough comes together in clumps and the butter is worked through, 3–5 minutes. (It will seem as though the dough won’t come together, but don’t worry – it will!)
• Dump the crumbs into a 9-inch springform pan and press the dough evenly into the bottom and 1 ¼ inches up the sides, starting with the sides and then moving to the bottom, keeping the edges square. (It usually takes me about 5 minutes to make it look pretty.) Freeze until firm, 15–30 minutes.
• Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake until slightly puffed and firm to the touch, 18–22 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and, while it’s still hot, press the sides and bottom with the back of a spoon. This will help it hold together when cool. Decrease the oven to 325ºF.
• Wipe the bowl of the stand mixer clean and add the softened goat cheese, cream cheese, sugar, rice flour, vanilla seeds, and salt. Mix on medium low until smooth and creamy, 2-3 minutes, scraping the bowl and paddle a few times. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium-low until combined and scraping the bowl and paddle well between each egg, then stir in the the ¼ cup sour cream.
• Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake at 325ºF until gently puffed and mostly set when you give it a wiggle, 40-45 minutes. Remove from the oven.
• While the cheesecake bakes, whisk together the 1 ½ cups sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Gently spoon the sour cream mixture over the cheesecake, spread smooth, and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the cheesecake and allow it to cool completely at room temperature, 1-2 hours, then chill until cold, 4 hours and up to 1 or 2 days.
• In a large, heatproof measuring pitcher, pour the boiling water over the tea leaves and let steep 5 minutes. Strain the tea into a wide skillet with high sides, or another large pot. Add the sugar and vanilla pods and bring to a boil. Add the pears and lemon juice (the liquid should just cover the pears, but you can add more water if need be) and simmer the pears until just tender but still holding a shape, 8-12 minutes, turning the pears over halfway through. Remove the pears to a plate and simmer the poaching liquid until thick and syrupy, 10-20 minutes. Let cool. Cut the pears into chunks.
• To serve the cheesecake, release the edge of the springform pan and slide the cheesecake onto a platter or cutting board. Cut into slices with a large chef’s knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between each cut. Serve slices topped with the poached pears, pomegranate arils, and a drizzle of poaching syrup. Extra cheesecake keeps well, refrigerated airtight, for up to several days (if you can make it last that long).