You have to know your audience for this one. I wouldn't even think of trying to give it to someone who's a picky eater or someone who doesn't like blue cheese (probably that's often the same person). But the people who passed the picky eater test loved this as a simple, yet complex, dessert.
It has the advantage of being extremely easy to make, if you don't count the roasting and toweling of the walnuts. I ran a little short of walnuts because my helper decided that walnuts, once they've been shorn of most of their bitter skins, are delicious, and he helped himself to my stash.
He also enjoyed putting a spoonful of ground walnuts into most of the cups, but kept asking why he couldn't eat more, so the tablespoon kept getting smaller and smaller so there'd be plenty of ground walnuts for him to nosh on.
It's his new favorite snack!
He didn't like the smell of the blue cheese though. I chose Point Reyes Bay because it's similar to Stilton but mellower.
The batter couldn't be easier to mix up. It was even easier for me than it should have been because my helper didn't much care for the plan of raising the speed to medium ("too loud, Lulu") or of mashing together the sour cream and cheese ("let's put everything in all at once"). Consequently, the cream cheese did not get completely incorporated, but it didn't seem to matter.
My helper thought that pouring the cheesecake batter from the measuring cup was brilliant. I decided not to tell him it wasn't my idea. He wanted to eat some of the batter, but recoiled when he smelled it. You are allowed to be a picky eater if you're not quite 3 yet.
Because of Mendy's warning that the cheesecakes weren't sweet enough, I added 10 extra grams of sugar, for a total of 85 grams. I am really getting to be a sugar scofflaw. I also had honey at the ready to drizzle on in case it needed more sweetness. As it turned out, my tasters thought it was plenty sweet without any extra honey. Next time, I wouldn't add the extra 10 grams. The pears I bought weren't quite ripe, so they didn't add much flavor. With ripe pears and maybe just a soupçon of honey, they really don't need any more sweetness.
I thought these were perfect for a small, light dessert that would surprise and delight people who love blue cheese and surprise and horrify people who don't. Like I said, you have to know your audience.
Were we supposed to turn these upside down because both you and Kim did and I Iove how they look! I have the same problem with ingredient snitchers and they are definitely over three years old. Oddly enough, my son who loves blue cheese didn't care for these at all. Other blue cheese aficionados most certainly did. Go figure...
ReplyDeleteVicki, I don't think they were supposed to be upside down, but they didn't come out of the silicone cups that easily, and they weren't particularly firm, so I didn't move them again after I unmolded them upside down. I like the way they look too, but it's purely by accident.
DeleteVicki, I don't think they were supposed to be upside down, but they didn't come out of the silicone cups that easily, and they weren't particularly firm, so I didn't move them again after I unmolded them upside down. I like the way they look too, but it's purely by accident.
DeleteYour helper is so cute. And quite opinionated by the sound of it!
ReplyDeleteYour helper is soo adorable! I like how he helped himself also with the walnuts. So cute! It's good to start your helper from young and get use to the blue cheese smell..lol!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteyour helper to my opinion is a serious one, he had to make sure every time,that the walnut taste right...:-) i like how the walnut are on top..
ReplyDeleteYour little helper is adorable! You are right about targeting your audience well with this one but those who like blue cheese will generally love this dessert. Cheesecakes were plenty sweet but I will have to serve them with pears next time just like you did!
ReplyDelete