Goat Cheesecake

When Mom and I were in St. Louis in June, we tried a delicious appetizer of goat cheesecake at Big Sky restaurant in Webster Groves. The goat cheesecake was so delicious. It could be served as a dessert, especially if topped with a sweet topping. Or it makes a terrific appetizer, as when I served it for a Labor Day family get together.

To recreate the version that I had at Big Sky, I looked into various cheesecake recipes to try to come up with a good version. I decided to go with a no bake version. First, the pistachio crust has a little sugar and graham crackers to help the crust form. I think other crackers could be used, but I liked the slightly sweet flavor to go with the tangy goat cheese. For the filling, I used equal amounts of cream cheese and goat cheese. I might try using a bit more goat cheese the next time I make this recipe. At Big Sky, the cheesecake was topped with dried apricots and balsamic glaze. Because fresh figs were available, I used figs, but apricots are a great choice. 

Goat Cheesecake 

• 1 3/4 cups pistachios
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 Tbsp. butter, melted
• 2 large graham crackers, crushed
• 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
• 8 oz. goat cheese, room temperature
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1/2 cup condensed milk

For the crust: pulse pistachios, sugar, and graham crackers in a food processor until pistachios are finely chopped. Add melted butter until moistened. Press into a greased eight-inch springform pan. Refrigerate at least one hour.

For the filling: combine goat cheese and cream cheese. Beat until smooth. Add honey. Add condensed milk in increments. Continue blending until smooth. Pour onto the crust. Refrigerate at least four hours. Garnish as desired. Enjoy!