Black Pepper and Black Cherry Marble Cheesecake

Sweet tart cherries and tangy goat cheese make this black pepper and black cherry marble cheesecake extra decadent.

Listening to the.boy call customer service lines is pretty much a Life Highlight.

I really wish you all could hear it. Mostly it goes something like:

“Speak to a person.

SPEAK TO A PERSON.

SPPPEEAAAKKK TOOOO AAA PPEEERRRSSOOOOONNN.”

And then he hisses/moans/pulls out all his hair/throws something across the room.

He’s really such a zen guy, this husband of mine.

He’s been doing a lot of this because we have a lot of honeymoon-related things to take care of that require conversing with robots…like making sure our cell phones will still work and calling restaurants to make reservations and figuring out how to procure an International Driver’s License.

And I hate making phone calls. So he does all the dirty work while I provide moral support…by sitting on the couch making fun of him.

Our relationship is so equal.

Annnyyywaaayyy…that has nothing to do with this cheesecake. Just a little comedic interlude before we get to the good stuff.

I actually made this for Mother’s Day, which now feels like it was AGES ago, but it would also be great for Father’s Day or even the 4th of July.

Basically, it’s a show-stopper – a totally decadent cheesecake with a ribbon of chocolate and tart juicy cherries scattered through every bite. But it also has some surprises up its sleeves…like the fact that it’s made with goat cheese instead of cream cheese and packs just enough black pepper heat to make you go OH. I find these to be totally endearing qualities because they cut the richness just enough that you don’t feel sick after eating a few bites, as is the case with most cheesecakes. Also, they make life/eating more adventurous and fun. And I kind of love that.

Black Pepper and Black Cherry Marble Cheesecake

 

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Sweet tart cherries and tangy goat cheese make this black pepper and black cherry marble cheesecake extra decadent.

Yield: 1 10-inch cheesecake

Ingredients

For the crust

• 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
• ½ tsp salt

For the filling

• 1 lb fresh cherries
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 lb chevre
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper, finely ground
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp kirsch
• ½ tsp almond extract

For the assembly

• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup confectioner's sugar

Instructions

1. To make the crust, heat oven to 325F. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with baking spray.
2. In a double boiler, combine the chocolate and butter and heat over simmering water until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the egg, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt and whisk until combined. Continue to mix and scrape the sides until the cocoa powder is mixed into the batter.
4. With the mixer on low, pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Mix until the batter is smooth.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the rest of the batter.
6. For the filling, pit half of the cherries and place them in a large bowl.
7. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a double boiler, stirring constantly until the chocolate is just melted. Turn off the heat.
8. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the chevre, sugar, salt, and pepper and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, until just combined. Stir in the cornstarch.
9. Transfer one third of the batter to a separate bowl and stir in the melted chocolate. To the rest of the batter, add the kirsch and almond extract.
10. Pour the kirsch batter onto the prepared crust. Transfer the chocolate batter to a pastry bag fitted with a large tip. Insert the pastry tip halfway into the kirsch batter and pipe dollops of chocolate batter all along the outside of the cake. Pipe a few onto the middle of the cake. Using a skewer or toothpick, swirl the batters to create a marble effect. Push the pitted cherries into the batter using the same skewer.
11. Bake for 1 to 1½ hours, or until the middle of the cheesecake is almost set. Turn the oven off and, sticking a spoon in the door, allow the cake to rest in the cooling oven for 20 minutes. Cool completely in the refrigerator.
12. To assemble, whip together the heavy cream and confectioner's sugar until stiff peaks form. Swirl the whipped cream on top of the cheesecake. Top with the remaining cherries. Serve immediately.

Notes

Recipe from Bake It Like You Mean It: Gorgeous Cakes from Inside Out

Nutrition Information

Serving size: 1 slice

3.3.3077

Recipes to get you excited for cherry season!

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cake

Ultimate Cherry Pie

Cherry Cornmeal Upside Down Cake

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