Chèvre Cheesecake with Black Mission Oven Roasted Port Figs

Photo by John Haigwood, Haigwood Studios

Recipe by Kathleen Miliotis, Executive Pastry Chef, Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse

Yield: 6 servings

Pistachio Biscotti Crust (recipe included)
 10 ounces cream cheese
 4 ounces goat cheese
 2 ounces crème fraîche
 6 ounces (about 3/4 cup) sugar
 3 eggs
 1 vanilla bean, scraped
 Oven Roasted Port Figs (recipe included)
 whipped crème fraîche and micro mint for garnish

Prepare Pistachio Biscotti Crust. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Cream cheeses and crème fraîche together in mixer with paddle attachment. Add sugar, slowly add eggs, turn off mixer and scrape. Add vanilla, turn off mixer and scrape. Pour batter into 6 prepared ring molds or a cake pan. Bake in a water bath for about 1 hour, until firm to the touch.

To serve, spoon chilled port sauce onto plates. Place cheesecakes off-center in plate. Place 5 fig halves on top of each cake. Arrange 4 other pieces of figs on plate. If desired, add some biscotti crust around the plate for crunch. Garnish with whipped crème fraîche and micro mint.

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Pistachio Biscotti Crust
 7 ounces (3 large) whole eggs
 16 ounces (2 cups) sugar
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
 1/4 teaspoon orange oil
 1 teaspoon salt
 2 tablespoons baking powder
 17 ounces (2 cups + 2 tablespoons) pastry flour
 2 cups unsalted pistachio nuts, lightly toasted
 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
 16 ounces (4 sticks) melted butter

For the Pistachio Biscotti Crust
 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix eggs and sugar in a mixer with a paddle attachment; add vanilla extract and orange oil and mix again. Add salt, baking powder and flour and mix until dough forms. Add nuts; mix well. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll logs to fit width of a sheet pan. Flatten slightly and brush with egg wash. Bake for 15 minutes until just set; cool. Chop into pieces, return to 350 degree oven and toast until light brown, about 5 minutes. Cool again. In processor, grind cookies, then add melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand. Press into the bottom of 6 ring molds or cake pans.

Oven Roasted Port Figs
 30 whole figs (preferably black Mission or brown Turkey)
 4 cups sugar
 1 teaspoon cinnamon
 1 teaspoon ground ginger
 1/4 teaspoon cloves
 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
 1 whole star anise
 1 whole vanilla bean
 1 orange peel
 2 cups port

For the Oven Roasted Port Figs
 Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut figs in half and place in roasting pan. Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour onto figs. Roast until the sugar starts to caramelize and the figs soften, about 20 minutes. Remove figs with a slotted spoon. Pour port mixture into a saucepot and reduce until it coats the back of a spoon. Chill on ice bath. Lightly glaze figs with port sauce, reserving extra sauce for serving.