Cheesecake with Minted Blackberries

We're going to my grandma's house for dinner tonight, but I offered to bring dessert because I have been DYING to make this recipe ever since I got last month's issue of Gourmet Magazine and it was on the cover. I've gone from never making a Gourmet recipe to making two in a week! Here's the picture:


(I should probably add that it's copyright Gourmet Magazine...I don't know if it really is but probably better to say that and be safe)

Doesn't it look awesome?! The picture on the magazine cover was a little different, but this still looks freakin' amazing. The cards all fell into place to make it when my grocery store had blackberries on sale last week. I figured it was a sign from above. Blackberries are freakin' expensive here in AZ! My grandpa used to pick them near their house in Seattle when we all lived there, so maybe I just always took blackberries for granted. Raspberries, too. But to get raspberries I damn near have to trade my first born for a pint of them.

Anyway, I'm making this to take tonight and can't wait to try it. The husband doesn't like cheesecake, so it's a big treat for me. I'm done with the crust and waiting for it to cool a bit before I start on the actual cheesecake.

Cheesecake with Minted Blackberries
RECIPE BY DAN BARBER

For crust
3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped

For filling
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup half-and-half
3 large eggs

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350ºF with rack in middle. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with 2 crisscrossed sheets of foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides, then lightly butter foil.

Beat together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add flour and almonds, mixing until combined and dough begins to clump together.

Press onto bottom of baking pan with floured fingers.

Bake just until a shade darker and edges begin to pull away from pan, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan.

Make filling and bake:
Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and flour with cleaned beaters at medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add half-and-half, then eggs 1 at a time, mixing until incorporated. Pour filling into crust.

Bake in a hot water bath until set 1 1/2 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 40 to 45 minutes. (Center will set as it cools.) Transfer pan to a rack and cool completely, about 2 hours. Chill, uncovered, at least 2 hours.

Using foil overhang, lift cheesecake from pan and peel off foil before cutting into small rectangles.

Cooks’ note: Cheesecake can be chilled (loosely covered once cold) up to 3 days.

Minted Blackberries
RECIPE BY DAN BARBER

3 cups blackberries (3/4 lb)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Stir together all ingredients in a bowl or airtight container and let macerate at room temperature 30 minutes.

Cooks’ note: Blackberries can be chilled (after macerating) up to 2 hours.

*****

I cannot wait for dessert time to get here!! I'm so intrigued to see how the blackberries taste with the mint. I love fresh mint but never know what to use it for, other than just smelling it. I figure I'll wait and macerate the blackberries at my grandma's so they don't sit too long and start to apart.