Goat Cheese Cheesecake
Poached Quince, Florentines, Sea Salt
Pastry Chef Maite Zarrabeitia of Amara at Paraiso | Miami, FL
Adapted by StarChefs | June 2025 | Photo: Will Blunt
INGREDIENTS
Crust:
300 grams all-purpose flour
150 grams light brown sugar
150 grams granulated sugar
280 grams cubed butter
10 grams kosher salt
5 grams vanilla bean paste
Cheesecake:
1.35 kilograms cream cheese
675 grams goat cheese
575 grams granulated sugar
15 grams kosher salt
10 grams vanilla paste
Zest of 3 lemons
9 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
530 grams heavy cream
Poached Quince:
4.2 kilograms poached quince
3.77 kilograms granulated sugar
4 lemons
3 sticks cinnamon
Florentines:
100 grams light brown sugar
50 grams granulated sugar
60 grams light corn syrup
56 grams butter
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
90 grams finely chopped almonds
30 grams all-purpose flour
To Assemble and Serve:
Flaky sea salt
METHOD
For the Crust:
Heat oven to 325°F. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugars, and salt. Add butter and, using gloved hands, combine until a crumble-like texture is achieved. Transfer mixture to a sheet tray and bake 9 minutes. Remove from oven, stir, and bake additional 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
For the Cheesecake:
Heat a combination oven to 325°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix cream cheese and goat cheese on low speed until smooth. Add sugar, salt, vanilla paste, and lemon zest. Mix until sugar has fully dissolved. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add heavy cream and mix until just combined. Set aside. Line 25 ring molds with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick spray. Add 1 tablespoon Crust to each mold and press to form an even base. Bake 7 minutes. Let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 220°F on full steam setting. Once Crust is cooled, fill molds to the rim with cake batter. Bake additional 17 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate 3 hours.
For the Poached Quince:
In a mixing bowl, combine lemon juice and water. Set aside. In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring quince peels, seeds, sugar, and 3.9 kilograms water to a boil. Let simmer 30 minutes, or until a syrup-like texture is achieved. Strain and transfer mixture to a clean pot over medium-low heat. Add quince slices, lemon peel, and cinnamon. Cover pot with a cartouche and cook 4 hours. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Florentines:
Heat oven to 350°F. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugars, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt. Cook until sugar has fully dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in almonds and flour. On a silicone-lined sheet tray, divide batter into 1-tablespoon portions, evenly spaced apart. Bake 6 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Let cool.
To Assemble and Serve:
Place 1 Cheesecake in the center of a serving plate. Top with desired amount Poached Quince and 1 Florentine. Finish with flaky salt.
