NOVEMBER 2020 102SWEETER TOGETHER from p. 99
Goat Cheese Cake with
Wine-Poached Cranberries
PHOTO P. 93
ACTIVE 1 HR; TOTAL 4 HR 50 MIN, PLUS 8 HR
CHILLING; SERVES 8 TO 10Crowned with candied pistachios and
draped in tart and glistening cranberry
gelée, this stunning cheesecake is extra
creamy thanks to a combination of tangy
goat cheese and mascarpone. Beat in the
mascarpone at low speed to preserve its
extra-smooth texture.GOAT CHEESE CAKE
1 / 2 vanilla bean pod (split lengthwise)
12 oz. cream cheese, at room
temperature
8 oz. goat cheese, at room temperature
1 / 2 cup granulated sugar
1 / 2 tsp. kosher salt
1 / 2 oz. mascarpone cheese (about 1^1 / 2
cups), chilled
4 large eggs, at room temperature
WINE-POACHED CRANBERRIES AND GELÉE
1 cup (8 oz.) ruby port
3 / 4 cup granulated sugar
2 (2- x 1-inch) lemon peel strips
8 oz. fresh or thawed frozen
cranberries (about 2 cups)
1 Tbsp. cold water
11 /^4 tsp. unflavored gelatin
CANDIED PISTACHIOS
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. hot water
1 cup raw pistachios
2 Tbsp. turbinado sugar- Make the goat cheese cake: Preheat
oven to 325°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch
springform pan with aluminum foil; set
aside. Scrape and reserve seeds from vanilla
bean pod; discard pod. Beat cream cheese,
goat cheese, granulated sugar, salt, and
vanilla bean seeds with an electric mixer fit-
ted with the paddle attachment on medium
speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add
mascarpone; beat on low speed until just
combined, about 10 seconds. Beat in eggs,
1 at a time, beating well after each addition
and stopping to scrape down sides of bowl
as needed. Transfer batter to prepared
springform pan; smooth top using a small
offset spatula. - Place springform pan in center of a
large roasting pan. Add hot water to roast-
ing pan to come two-thirds up sides of
springform pan. Carefully place roasting
pan with springform pan in preheated
oven. Bake until cake is mostly set but
center is still slightly jiggly, 50 minutes to 1
hour. Carefully remove from oven; remove
springform pan from roasting pan; place on
a wire rack. Let cool to room temperature,
about 2 hours. Remove foil from springform
pan; discard foil. Cover and refrigerate at
least 8 hours or up to 2 days.- Make the wine-poached cranberries
and gelée: Bring wine, granulated sugar,
and lemon peel strips to a boil in a small
saucepan over medium. Boil, stirring occa-
sionally, until sugar is dissolved and alcohol
has cooked off, about 3 minutes. Stir in
cranberries; cook, stirring occasionally,
until cranberries just begin to pop, 2 to 3
minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 1 hour.
Pour mixture through a fine wire-mesh
strainer into a bowl. Remove and discard
lemon peel strips. Reserve strained cran-
berries and cranberry cooking liquid sepa-
rately; set aside. - Place 1 tablespoon cold water in a small
bowl; sprinkle with gelatin. Stir to combine;
let mixture stand until gelatin softens,
about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer
reserved cranberry cooking liquid to a small
saucepan; cook over medium, stirring occa-
sionally, until reduced to about^3 / 4 cup, 3 to
5 minutes. Remove from heat; add gelatin
mixture, and whisk until dissolved, about 1
minute. Pour mixture through a fine wire-
mesh strainer into a small bowl. Let cool to
room temperature. Using a spoon, skim off
and discard any foam that rises to the top.
Pour cranberry-gelatin mixture (the gelée)
over the chilled goat cheese cake, tilting
springform pan to spread gelée in an even
layer. Refrigerate, uncovered, until gelée
sets, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day. - Meanwhile, make the candied pis-
tachios: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk
together granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon
hot water in a medium bowl until sugar is
dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add pistachios;
stir to coat. Add turbinado sugar; quickly
toss to coat. Spread pistachios in a single
layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with
parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven
until pistachios are lightly toasted, 10 to 12
minutes, stirring after 5 minutes. Transfer
baking sheet to a wire rack; let cool com-
pletely. Break any clusters into pieces. Set
aside until ready to serve. - Dip a small offset spatula in hot water,
and run along springform pan edge to
loosen the cake and gelée; remove sides of
pan. Decorate perimeter of cake with cran-
berries and pistachios; reserve any remain-
ing cranberries and pistachios for another
use. —CLAUDIA FLEMING
MAKE AHEAD Goat cheese cake can be
refrigerated up to 2 days before topping
with cranberry gelée. Cranberries and
pistachios can be made up to 2 days in
advance. Topped cake can be refrigerated
up to 1 day; garnish with pistachios and
cranberries just before serving.
Pumpkin Spice Snickerdoodles
PHOTO P. 94
ACTIVE 20 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR
MAKES 20 COOKIES
The secret to these classic cookies is to
bake them just until they’re set but not
browned. They’ll finish cooking as they
cool on the baking sheet, delivering their
craveable tender-chewy texture.
13 /^4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
11 / 2 tsp. ground cardamom
1 / 2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg
1 / 2 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. kosher salt, divided
23 / 4 cups all-purpose flour (about 11^3 / 4
oz.)
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup unsalted butter (8 oz.), at room
temperature
2 large eggs
11 / 2 tsp. orange blossom water
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or vanilla
extract
- Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in top
third, middle, and lower third positions.
Line 3 baking sheets with parchment
paper. Stir together^1 / 4 cup sugar, cinna-
mon, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and^1 / 4
teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Stir together flour, cream of tartar, baking
soda, and remaining^3 / 4 teaspoon salt in a
medium bowl. Set aside. - Beat butter and remaining 1^1 / 2 cups
sugar with an electric mixer on medium-
high speed until light and fluffy, about 4
minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add
eggs, 1 at a time, beating well on medium
speed after each addition. Beat in orange
blossom water and vanilla bean paste.
Add flour mixture in 2 additions, beating
on low speed until fully incorporated, 30
to 45 seconds. - Using a 1^1 / 2 -ounce cookie scoop (about
3 tablespoons), scoop dough, and shape
into 20 balls. Roll balls in spice mixture
until coated. Arrange balls 3 inches apart
on prepared baking sheets. - Bake in preheated oven until outer
edges start to set and wrinkle slightly, 12
to 14 minutes, rotating pans between top
and bottom racks halfway through bake
time. Remove from oven; let cool on bak-
ing sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to
a wire rack; let cool completely, about 15
minutes. —KELLY FIELDS
MAKE AHEAD Cookies can be made up to
3 days ahead and stored in an airtight
container at room temperature.