I love the idea of taking sweet dessert recipes and making them savory. Creating something unexpected. That’s where the idea of a Savory Goat Cheese Cake came from.

Once I made it, I thought why not go further and turn it into a layer cake, and this is the result. Your guests will rave, it’s easy and you can make the cake in advance and freeze it in the springform pan.

I use two different types of pestos. I love the vibrancy of the colors and combination of flavors. Serve it with crackers, slice baguette or Belgian endive spears.

 

SAVORY GOAT CHEESE CAKE

EVENT: Summer Solstice

SERVES: 10 – 12 people

 

Ingredients

For the cheesecake *:

11 oz cream cheese room temperature

6 oz (3/4 cup) whole milk ricotta cheese room temperature

8 oz goat cheese room temperature **

3 large eggs room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

 

For the pesto (2 Flavors): (See Pesto Recipe)

7 oz (3/4 cup) each flavor

Good choices traditional pesto and sun dried tomato

1/2 – 3/4 cup sun dried tomato pesto

 

Equipment

7” springform pan

 

* A NOTE: Cake without pesto can be refrigerated up to 3 days or frozen. Defrost in refrigerator. Remove sides of pan and spread pesto close to serving time.

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Butter or line 7” springform pan. I use super parchment baking liner *. I cut a circle to fit bottom and wide strips to fit around the sides of the pan.

3. Using a hand-held or free-standing mixer, mix cream cheese, ricotta and goat cheese until well blended.

4. Add in eggs and mix until thoroughly incorporated.

5. Add in sour cream and mix until thoroughly blended.

6. Pour into springform pan.

7. Bake 45-55 minutes until top is puffed.

8. Remove from oven. Cool completely on rack. Leaving the cake in pan, when cool, place in refrigerator at least 24 hours.

9. Remove sides of pan. Carefully, using a serrated knife, slice through middle of the cake horizontally, making two layers.

10. Remove top layer. Spread one flavor of pesto on bottom layer.

11. Put top layer over bottom. Spread second flavor of pesto on top of the cake.

12. Keep refrigerated. Remove approximately 30 minutes before serving.

13. Serve with crackers, sliced baguette and spears of Belgian endive.

 

* A NOTE: Super parchment baking liner is a “never stick” baking liner that comes in 13X17” sheets. Unlike regular parchment paper, these sheets are washed and reused. I cut a circle to fit the bottom of the springform pan and wide strips to go around the sides. I store the pieces together with the pan that they fit. It saves time, improves results and the clean up is easy. You can buy them at cooking supply stores or at my Amazon Affiliate Store.

 

 

SUN DRIED TOMATO PESTO

EVENT: Summer Solstice

YIELDS: Approximately 1 1/2 cups.

 

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sun dried tomatoes *

2 cups warm water

2/3 cups Parmesan cheese **

1 clove garlic

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

 

* A NOTE: Do not buy sun dried tomatoes packed in oil. They usually have a slightly chemical taste and if you read the label you will understand.

 

Directions

1. Soak sun dried tomatoes in bowl with warm water approximately 10-15 minutes.

2. Remove tomatoes from water and drain. Reserve water.

3. In a food processor fitted with metal blade, process the garlic until smooth.

4. Add dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes. Process until smooth.

5. Slowly add olive oil and process to a thick paste.

6. Taste and add up to 1/4 teaspoon of reserved water if pesto is too thick. I like this pesto to be a little thicker than the walnut basil pesto. I use this for the filling in the cake.

 

 

WALNUT PESTO

EVENT: Summer Solstice

YIELDS: About 1 cup.

 

Ingredients

1 clove garlic

2 cups (packed) basil leaves

2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese **

1 cup chopped walnuts **

1/4-1/2 cup olive oil

 

Directions

1. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, process the garlic until smooth.

2. Add basil, Parmesan cheese and walnuts. Process until ground.

3. Add olive oil and process to a thick paste.

A NOTE: This can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 weeks.

 

** AN OVERALL NOTE: I purchase goat cheese, walnuts and grated Parmesan cheese at Costco.