Thank God it's Friday! Friday means French Fridays with Dorie, and this week's recipe was Torteau de Chevre ("tort-tow dee chee-ver"). This is simply a goats cheese cheesecake. The original French versions have rounded black tops, but you need an oven hotter than the average residential oven to achieve this.
I took my cheesecake into work yesterday, on a suddenly cold Melbourne day. I had slept in for half an hour past my alarm and had to move it to get into work at my usual time. I take up a lot of space on the train with my bags and cake boxes, but luckily it was the Flinders Street direct train rather than the City loop, which is usually more crowded. At Richmond station, a guy who got on the train eyed me up from toe to head - not sure if he was taking in all my boxes and bags or admiring my thick and camouflaging winter coat in standard Melbourne black. The station staffer on the platform caused me to chuckle inside my head by yelling "Bums and bags on board!" to hurry things along. At the other end, it was the usual crush to get off the train and out of the station boom gates. I am not sure why everyone is in such a rush to get to work, but there you go. Despite all this, my torteau de chevre arrived at work safely in one piece.
The goats cheese filling of the torteau de chevre is cradled in a pastry crust. I wasn't sure what to expect from this cake, but was pleasantly surprised.
After cutting through the firm brown outer crust (which took me an hour and a half to achieve in my oven), the pale yellow centre shines through. The cake itself is, as Dorie says, neither sweet nor savoury, and if I didn't know what was in it, I am sure that I wouldn't take it for a cheesecake.
I really enjoyed the flavour of this cake. It would be a perfect accompaniment to a cheese board, and would go down well with a glass of rich red (alas, not a possibility at work).
To check out how everyone else went with the torteau de chevre, visit the LYL section of the FFwD website.
25 comments:
Everyone should be required to tote food on public transportation at least once! My husband dropped a bottle of wine in a Paris métro station and we had to pick up the bits of glass and then skulk guiltily away because there was no way of cleaning up all the wine. I'm glad your torteau made it in one piece!
I've seen this recipe in Dorie's book, but flipped past it as I'm not a fan of cheesecakes. But perhaps worth a shot? It looks and sounds great here!
Gaye, yours looks absolutely perfect! I need to get to this one, don't I? Cheese...just too good to pass up. Maybe tomorrow afternoon...would be perfect to have around for the weekend.
looks lovely but I was even more amused by the vision of you on the train with your bags and boxes
I love cheese but i have to say one cheese i don't like is chevre. But i am sure if i make this my hubby and daughter will love it.
I loved it too ! Maybe the guy smelled the wonderful aromas of the cake and wanted some !
Lauren, you haven't lived til you have travelled to work with a cupcake carrier on your head because there's only airspace left.
Julia, it's definitely worth a shot.
Absolutely Kayte - it's different to what I expected.
Johanna, it's definitely not elegant!
Finla, this one may surprise you- it doesn't taste like cheese.
Lol, Natalia - I hadn't thought of that.
What an interesting cake! I've never heard of it before but that black dome top is really interesting!
I laughed out loud at your story, but your comment on how we haven't lived until we carry a cupcake tray on your heads is truly priceless.
I was pleasantly surprised too by how this cake turned out and tasted. It's great to see full-sized cakes like yours, I made a miniature one because hardly anyone I know eats or likes chevre! Amazing, I must widen my circle..LOL.
I'm sure your work mates were delighted with this treat...yours is beautiful despite no blackend top :)
I am trying to imagine myself on the New York City subway system carrying a boxed cake and all my work gear - and wondering how it would make it in one piece! Bravo to you, wonderwoman for pulling that off!
Your cake looks delicious! But, I'm surprised how long you had to bake yours. Then again, you have a nice even brown crust which looks fabulous.
Look absolutely nice Cake law! gloria
Sounds like an adventure on the train. I hope your co-workers appreciated the effort. It looks lovely.
You are so brave!!! Taking your lovely cake on the subway. So glad you and the cake made it in one piece!
I had to smile at the image of you traveling with all the bags and boxes because I do the same! Glad the cake made its way to work alright and enjoyed by all.
Your cake looks great, so nicely browned! What a nice treat for your colleagues.
I am so excited that it's finally warm, after a very tough winter, that I forgot it's getting colder in the southern hemisphere. I hope winter is mild in Melbourne.
Lovely cake, I like the golden brown color on top.
I shared my cake at work too! It disappeared quickly, this is a delicious recipe;-)
You are both brave and generous for schlepping this dish all the way work on mass transit :) You have some lucky coworkers. I only shared mine with Nana (and our families) and we had a blast trying the "non cheese cake cheese cake". Agree that it will be lovely on a cheese board and we are always looking for additions there. Great job- transit warrior !
Lucky coworkers! Your tourteau looks amazing :)
So glad it arrived safely, it is beautiful. I think you are right about the cheeseboard, that would be so impressive!
*kisses* HH
Betsy , we are lucky in Melbourne - it gets chilly but doesn't generally snow, so our winters are milder than in many parts of the US.
I enjoyed your story very much and am glad your Tourteau arrived safely to work. What a nice co-worker you are to bring in such treats! Your cake looks simply amazing!
Now you remind me that mine took much longer in the oven than the directions as well but it was worth it and quite moist. Great job!
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