Following the French and white chocolate idea introduced earlier I’m offering this cheesecake. No, this cake is not as sweet as the previous one. The white chocolate here doesn’t dominate, it leaves you wonder and beg for more.

The cake is so simple and so chic! This is a European marvel at its best. You can serve it with fresh berries or raspberry coulis. And that’s exactly what the author (Fran Bigelow) suggested. Or, if you are not pressed for time, you can make the Fleur de Sel Hazelnut brittle to decorate the cake or serve alongside. I found them to be the perfect match for the cake. Extra time spent in the kitchen will certainly be highly appreciated at the end of your dinner, I promise. If you decide to make the cookies, make sure you have enough of them to offer separately, despite your plated presentation. Everybody always looks for more to indulge.

And the last but not least. Please, don’t ruin it by a graham crust, or any crust…

Adapted from Fran Bigelow’s “Pure Chocolate”

White Chocolate and Brie Cheesecake with Fleur de Sel and Hazelnut Brittle recipe…

I love kumquats. I eat them with peel and seeds. Unfortunately, they are seasonal, so, it makes sense to enjoy them while they last. This cheesecake presents the kumquats in a nice, elegant way. Although you can eat the kumquats with the seeds, you will have to seed them for this recipe. The task is rather time consuming than difficult. If you stretch the preparation over two days you certainly won’t be tired at all.

The cheesecake itself is classic, dense and creamy.

I found the recipe in one of the issues of “Bon Appétit”. And baked the cake for my husband’s birthday. He isn’t questioning the necessity of the magazine subscription anymore…

Orange Cheesecake with Candied Kumquats recipe…

There is enough batter to make one 9-inch round cheesecake. Since I was serving it on Valentine’s Day, I used small individual heart-shaped molds to suit the occasion. This is a great dessert to be served on such a special day. But it would be a shame to wait till the next February - the cheesecake is so delicious it will be appreciated any time. The caramel gives the chocolate cheesecake a new dimension.

Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake recipe…

The cake is creamy, melting in your mouth, pretty looking, easy to make and, more important, it doesn’t leave you with this heavy feeling in your stomach like the most of cheesecakes do.

Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd Topping recipe…