Brocciu Cheesecake with Grapefruit and Nepita by Pierre Hermé

Pierre Hermé, elected representative Better Pastry cook of the World in 2016, delivers us the recipe of a soft association of Corsican products.

© Claire Curt

Ingredients:

• Cooked and buttered Canistrellis
• Brocciu cheesecake filling
• Segments of nepita flavoured grapefruit
• Crystallized pomelos

The day before

Canistrellis cuits et beurrés

• 180g of citron canistrelli biscuits from the Mavela estate
• 50 g of high quality butter

Soften the butter. Crush the canistrellis into powder form and add the softened butter until the two are combined well. Spread the mixture evenly across the surface of a porcelain baking tray measuring 28 cm in diameter and 3,5 cm in depth. Cook in an oven pre-heated to 170°C for 18 / 20 minutes. Let it cool down.

Brocciu cheesecake filling

• 600g of fresh Brocciu cheese
• 225g cream cheese (Philadelphia)
• the fine zest of a peeled grapefruit
• 220g of caster sugar
• 35g of flour
• 200g of whole egg
• 30g of egg yolk
• 70g of cream

Combine the brocciu, grapefruit zest, cream cheese, sugar and flour in a mixer. Add the yokes and the beaten eggs, followed by the cream. Pour the brocciu cheesecake filling onto the base of cooked and buttered canistrellis and place the dish in the oven at a temperature of 90°C for approximately 1 hour. Allow to cool completely.

Peeled grapefruit

• 4 or 5 Corsican grapefruits

Using a very sharp knife, remove the ends of each grapefruit then in a downward movement, in line with the shape of the fruit, remove the remainder of the peel, in such a way as to also remove the pith. Then use a small knife to remove the segments. Depending on the size of the segments, slice them in half lengthwise. Leave the segments to drain on a piece of kitchen roll.

Cubes of candied grapefruit

• 2 Corsican grapefruits
• 500g of mineral water
• 250g of caster sugar
• 25g of yellow lemon juice
• 1g of star anise (Thiercelin)
• 2 used vanilla pods
• 1g of ground Sarawak pepper (Thiercelin)

Remove the grapefruit peel along with approximately 1 to 1.5 cm of flesh attached. Blanch the peel in three different pots of water in order to remove its bitterness. Boil the ingredients until you are left with a syrup, place the grapefruit peel into it, cover and leave to simmer gently for between 1 hour and 15 minutes and 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to macerate over night. Cut into 0.5 cm cubes. Drain them the day before

On the same day

Finish

• QS of dried nepita (QS: sufficient amount depending on your taste, avoid an excessive quantity)

Spread the segments into a rosette shape over the entire surface of
the cake.
Sprinkle generously with the dried nepita.
Spread around 20 cubes of candied grapefruit over the cake.

Serving suggestion

Keep refrigerated prior to consumption.