White Chocolate and Brie Cheesecake with Fleur de Sel and Hazelnut Brittle
Following the French and white chocolate idea, this cheesecake is not as sweet as others. The white chocolate is subtle, leaving you wanting more. The cake is simple yet elegant. It can be served with fresh berries or raspberry coulis, or with Fleur de Sel Hazelnut brittle. Avoid using a graham cracker crust. Adapted from Fran Bigelow's "Pure Chocolate".
Following the French and white chocolate idea, this cheesecake is not as sweet as others. The white chocolate is subtle, leaving you wanting more. The cake is simple yet elegant. It can be served with fresh berries or raspberry coulis, or with Fleur de Sel Hazelnut brittle. Avoid using a graham cracker crust. Adapted from Fran Bigelow's "Pure Chocolate".
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 4 oz good quality white chocolate chopped
- 1â½ pounds 3 packages cream cheese at room temperature
- 12 oz ripe brie cheese at room temperature (preferably 40 % butterfat), weighed after the rind is removed
- â¾ cup sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 5 large eggs at room temperature
- fleur de sell hazelnut brittle for serving
- Carbohydrate 0.973931187283333 g
- Cholesterol 468.9745231 mg
- Fat 18.2015246607467 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 18.9869027099167 g
- Saturated Fat 8.16381197171 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (142g)
- Sodium 342.351146132333 mg
- Sugar 0.973931187283333 g
- Trans Fat 2.14226600889434 g
- Calories 245 calories
Step-by-step
- Center an oven rack and preheat the oven to 300F.
- Wrap a 9-inch springform into a double (triple, even better) layer of heavy duty aluminum foil. Lightly butter the pan inside. Line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper circle, and lightly butter the circle.
- Bring 1 inch of water to a simmer in a wide skillet. Turn the burner off (if your stove is electric, remove the skillet from the burner) and wait for 30 seconds. Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Set the bowl of chocolate in the hot water. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a hand-held electric beaters, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Transfer the cheese from the mixing bowl to another bowl and set aside.
- In the same mixing bowl using the same paddle attachment (no washing necessary), on medium-high speed beat the Brie until completely smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl often with a rubber spatula. It’s crucial to beat the cheeses separately until smooth, and only then combine them in one bowl.
- With the machine on medium speed, add the cream cheese to the Brie in 3 parts. Blend the cheeses together until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the sugar. Add the salt and vanilla extract, beat until combined.
- At medium-low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- At low speed, pour the melted chocolate into the middle of the bowl. Mix until well blended, smooth, and creamy.
- Pour into the prepared pan. Place the springform in a large roasting pan and pour hot water into the roasting pan so that it comes about halfway up the springform pan. Transfer carefully to the oven and bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off the oven. Let the cake stand in the oven for another hour. By that time the cake should look set. Transfer the springform pan onto the rack and cool. Cover; chill the cake overnight.
- Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and remove the side of the pan. Transfer the cake to a serving platter. Bring to room temperature before serving. If you wish to top the cake with brittle, pile it high right before serving, otherwise the moisture from the cake will melt the caramel. Or you can plate the cake slices placing the brittle cookies on the top and/or at the side of each slice.
- The cake can be stored in the refrigerator for as long as 1 week (never happened in our household).
Incorporating ripe brie cheese into a traditional cheesecake batter fundamentally alters the protein structure, requiring deliberate mixing techniques to avoid a grainy finish. Cream cheese and brie must be whipped independently before unification, allowing each fat matrix to smooth out fully at room temperature. Skipping this individual processing stage leaves unblended pockets that disrupt the dense, velvety crumb during baking.
Temperature control dictates the success of incorporating melted white chocolate into dairy fats. The chocolate requires gentle indirect heat using a water bath where the burner is turned off before insertion, preventing cocoa butter scorching. Once combined, baking this delicate custard inside a water bath shields the perimeter from direct high heat, mitigating cracks.
Serving this dessert benefits from omitting traditional graham cracker crusts entirely, letting the rich dairy profile dominate the palate. Hard brittle toppings absorb moisture rapidly from high-fat cheesecakes, meaning hazelnut brittle must be applied immediately before slicing. Wrapped tightly, the chilled cake maintains structural integrity for up to seven days in refrigeration.
