Kevin Ripley
Senior Director of Culinary
Maggiano’s Little Italy

Chili-Garlic Cheesecake with Soy Sauce Whipped Cream

Recipe courtesy of Kevin Ripley
Sponsor: Lee Kum Kee^®

Servings: 28 (3-oz) cheesecakes

Ingredients

Cheesecake:

• 2 oz unsalted butter
• 3 c honey graham cracker crumbs
• 1 ¾ lb cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ½ lb ricotta cheese
• 1 ½ lb sour cream
• ¾ lb sugar
• 2 ¼ Tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 ¼ Tbsp lemon juice
• 3 Tbsp Lee Kum Kee^® Chiu Chow Style Chili Oil
• ⅔ c pasteurized whole eggs

Mandarin Orange Gastrique (Yield 2 c):

• 26 oz Mandarin orange segments, drained
• ¼ c honey
• ¼ c distilled white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp sugar

Soy Sauce Whipped Cream (Yield 2 qt):

• 1 qt heavy whipping cream
• 3 oz powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• ¼ c Lee Kum Kee^® Soy Sauce

For service:

• 2 Tbsp Mandarin Orange Gastrique
• 1 Chili-Garlic Cheesecake
• 1 oz Soy Sauce Whipped Cream
• 1 Tbsp Lee Kum Kee^® Chiu Chow Style Chili Oil
• Tbsp ¼-in dice fresh shishito peppers

Directions

Cheesecake:

1. Preheat a convection oven to 350°F with a high fan.
2. In a sauté pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
3. In a bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.
4. Liberally coat 28 (3-oz) aluminum soufflé cups with pan spray.
5. Add 2 Tbsp of buttered graham cracker mix into each cup and pack tightly.
6. Place the cups on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 3 minutes. Cool to 70°F within 2 hours.
7. Reduce the oven heat to 250˚F to bake the cheesecakes.
8. In a food processor, add the cream cheese, ricotta and sour cream. Blend for 6 minutes and scrape down the sides.
9. Add the sugar, vanilla and lemon juice. Blend for 1 minute and scrape down the sides.
10. Next, shake up the chili oil in the container so you get some of the particulates into each measured Tbsp, then add the 3 Tbsp oil and the eggs to the cheesecake batter. Blend for 2 minutes and scrape down the sides.
11. Pour 3 oz of batter into each of the graham cracker-crusted aluminum cups.
12. Place 14 cheesecakes on each baking sheet and then pour enough warm water into the baking sheet while it’s in the oven so it goes ¼ of the way up the cheesecakes.
13. Bake the cheesecakes for 50-60 minutes, until an internal temperature of 172°F is achieved.
14. Allow the cheesecakes to cool from 135°F to 70°F within 2 hours and from 70°F to ≤41°F within 4 hours. Cover and refrigerate.

Mandarin Orange Gastrique:

1. Put all the sauce ingredients in a 12-in sauté pan over medium heat.
2. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until ¾ of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Remove from heat, pour the sauce into a blender and purée until smooth.
4. Pour the gastrique into a 2-in half hotel pan and refrigerate to cool below 41˚F.
5. Place the cooled gastrique in a 32-oz squeeze bottle and refrigerate at ≤ 41°F.

Soy Sauce Whipped Cream:

1. In a 6-qt mixer, whip the cream until it slightly thickens.
2. Add the sugar, vanilla and soy sauce. Whip until stiff peaks form.
3. Cover and refrigerate for service.

For service:

1. For each serving, pour the Mandarin Orange Gastrique in the center of a plate.
2. Place the Chili-Garlic Cheesecake on top of the Mandarin Orange Gastrique.
3. Garnish with the Soy Sauce Whipped Cream.
4. Drizzle the chili oil around the cheesecake and sprinkle the shishito peppers around the plate.

Chef Notes

To help achieve a more stable whipped cream, place the mixing bowl in the freezer for 5 minutes before starting the recipe.

Project Management: Summit F&B
Photography: Carlos Garcia // Food Styling: Peg Blackley