A dessert brie cheesecake with gourmet attitude. Recipe by Chef Franklin Becker.

Brie Cheesecake

Crust:
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 13 crackers)
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter, melted

 

Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
10 ounces Wisconsin Brie or Les Freres cheese, rind removed and softened
1 cup granulated sugar
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
3 large eggs
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1. For Crust: Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
2. Wrap foil around and under removable bottom of 10-inch springform pan. Replace outside ring, unwrap under foil and bring snuggly up around outside sides of pan.
3. In small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and butter; press evenly into bottom and up sides of pan. Set in baking pan; set aside.
4. For Filling: Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl of electric mixer, cream together cream cheese, Brie, sugar and vanilla bean seeds. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until batter is smooth. Add cream on low speed; mix well. Pour batter over crust in pan.
5. Place prepared pan in oven, and pour boiling water into outer baking pan, around cheesecake, to a depth of 1/2-inch.
6. Bake 65 to 75 minutes or until cheesecake is golden on top.
7. Remove cheesecake from water bath. Place on cooling rack; cool 1 hour.
8. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
9. To serve, run knife around outside edge of cheesecake; remove outside ring.

Makes 8 servings.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.