Goats Cheese and Rosemary Cheesecake, Dorset Coppa Crisp, Honeycomb and Hazelnut

Seasons Restaurant at The Eastbury Hotel

Matt Street – Head Chef at the 2 AA Rosette, Seasons Restaurant in Sherborne, Dorset

Recently we have put together a new exciting recipe for the “Taste of the West” book using local produce. The particular main ingredient used in is recipe is the “Godminster rosemary water biscuit”, from Godminster Organic Cheeses in Bruton, Somerset, although you could use any other quality cheese biscuits to make your cheesecake base. In this recipe, I have decided to create a savoury cheesecake that you could make as an impressive individual starter or portioned to provide smaller canapés for your guests

Local honeycomb is also used to compliment the savoury acidity of the goat’s cheese. If you are not a fan of goat’s cheese you could replace this with a local blue cheese such as “Vale of Camelot” blue which also works really well with the rosemary.

I hope you find the time to try this recipe as it is really worth the effort.  It can be made ahead of time meaning you can spend more time with your guests. Once you have portioned the cheesecake it is best left to reach room temperature to get the full flavour of the dish.

Products used

Godminster Rosemary Waterbiscuit

For Rosemary Waterbiscuit cheese cake base

25g Toasted Hazelnut

200g Rosemary Biscuit

110g melted butter

A pinch of salt

For Goats Cheese cake filling

250g Goats cheese

100g cream cheese (soft)

150ml Double cream

1 Gelatine leaf (bronze)

Sprig of Rosemary

To Garnish  

Devon or Local Honeycomb

(honey is fine)

1-2 slices of air dried ham

25g Toasted Hazelnuts, Crushed

Method

1. Start by toasting 50g of hazelnuts, save 25g for base and the rest for finishing at the end. Take the air dried ham and bake in the oven for 10 minutes at 160° or until crispy.

2. To make the base, add melted butter, 200g of Godminster Rosemary Waterbiscuit and 25g of the toasted hazelnuts with a pinch of salt, into a food processor, blitz until the mixture forms a cheesecake base consistency.
3. Transfer the base mix into a lined tray (cling film works best) we recommend a 6” square tin, pat the base flat and even, then pop into the fridge to chill.
4. To make the cheesecake mix, add room temperature Goats cheese to the 100g soft cheese, warm the 150ml of double cream with the sprig of rosemary inside the cream.
5. Soften the gelatine leaf in cold water, once softened remove the rosemary sprig from the cream and add the gelatine leaf to the cream.
6. Mix both the cheese mix & cream mix together to form a smooth texture (welcome to use an electric hand whisk) pour onto the base and chill in the fridge for 4 hours
7. To serve, cut into portions and decorate with honeycomb, air dried meat and toasted hazelnuts.

I hope you and your guests enjoy this recipe and stay tuned for my next recipe in the Conduit.