Cherry Blossom Pistachio Basque Cheesecake
Recipe courtesy of Hyewon Kwon, Executive Pastry Chef, Broken Sound Club (Boca Raton, Fla.).
Ingredients
- Ingredients for pistachio praline basque cheesecake:
- cream cheese - 2,300 g
- sugar - 525 g
- salt - 5 g
- pistachio praline - 250 g
- eggs - 750 g
- heavy cream - 1,000 g
- pistachio flour - 225 g
- cornstarch - 35 g
- Ingredients for cherry–strawberry inspiration crémeux:
- cherry pureé - 1,000 g
- Valrhona strawberry inspiration - 500 g
- sugar - 90 g
- silver gelatin sheets - 12 g, bloomed in ice water and squeezed dry
- butter - 190 g
- lemon juice - 15 g
- salt - 1 g
- Ingredients for pistachio praline mousse:
- milk - 500 g
- egg yolks - 120 g
- sugar - 60 g
- silver gelatin sheets - 17 g, bloomed in ice water and squeezed dry
- pistachio praline - 650 g
- heavy cream - 1,200 g, softly whipped
- Ingredients for sakura honey sauce:
- acacia honey - 500 g
- warm water - 75 g
- salt-pickled sakura blossoms - 20-25 g, desalted
- lemon juice - 10 g
- salt - 1 g
Instructions
Procedure for Pistachio Praline Basque Cheesecake:
- Using the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and salt until smooth.
- Add the pistachio praline and mix until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add the eggs.
- Add the heavy cream and mix until smooth.
- Add the pistachio flour and cornstarch and mix just until combined.
- Pour into prepared molds.
- Bake at 450°F for approximately 22–25 minutes, until deeply caramelized on top while the center remains slightly soft.
- Chill completely before portioning.
Procedure for Cherry–Strawberry Inspiration Crémeux:
- Heat the cherry purée, sugar, lemon juice, and salt.
- Remove from the heat and add the bloomed gelatin.
- Pour the hot mixture over the Valrhona Strawberry Inspiration.
- Emulsify with an immersion blender until completely smooth.
- Cool to approximately 40°C / 104°F.
- Blend in the butter.
- Chill until set.
Procedure for Pistachio Praline Mousse:
- Heat the milk.
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together.
- Temper with the hot milk and cook to 82–84°C / 180–183°F.
- Remove from the heat and add the bloomed gelatin.
- Add the pistachio praline and blend until smooth.
- Cool to approximately 30–32°C / 86–90°F.
- Fold in the softly whipped cream.
- Use immediately for assembly and chill until set.
Procedure for Sakura Honey Sauce:
- Gently warm the honey and water together.
- Add the desalted sakura blossoms, lemon juice, and salt.
- Allow to infuse overnight.
- Strain for a smooth sauce.
Chef's notes for assembly: Place the chilled pistachio Basque cheesecake on the plate. Finish with the cherry–Strawberry Inspiration crémeux and pistachio praline mousse. Garnish with pistachios and serve the sakura honey sauce on the side.
