PISTACHIO CHEESECAKE

This elegant cheesecake gets its complexity from store-bought sweetened pistachio paste, which gives it an especially perfumed flavor and an ultra-smooth texture, while chopped pistachios in the crust add crunch. Unlike many cheesecake recipes, this doesn’t require a water bath. A low oven temperature and long baking time will yield a silky, creamy texture without the anxiety of maneuvering a springform pan in and out of boiling water. You can make the cheesecake up to 5 days in advance and keep it in the fridge until ready to top with raspberries and serve.

Makes: 1 (9-inch) cheesecake Total time: 10 hours For the crust:

½ cup unsalted butter, melted, more for the pan

1 cup all-purpose flour

⅓ cup granulated sugar

¾ teaspoon fine sea or table salt

⅓ cup finely chopped pistachios For the filling: 2 pounds cream cheese (4 8-ounce packages), at room temperature

¾ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon fine sea or table salt 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon almond extract

1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream

½ cup sweetened pistachio cream, paste or spread

For the topping:

2 tablespoons raspberry, red currant or other clear jelly (not jam or preserves)

12 ounces fresh raspberries (about 2 cups)

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.

2. Make the crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and pistachios, and whisk until the dough holds together when squeezed in your hand. Press crumb mixture evenly into the bottom and at least an inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to make sure the bottom is as even as possible.

3. Bake until the crust is set and golden all over, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees. Let crust cool for at least 10 minutes (or let cool completely).

4. Make the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat together softened cream cheese, sugar and salt until sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes (or longer if your cream cheese was cold). Add the eggs one at a time, beating until combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula before each addition. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts until combined, then beat in the crème fraîche and mix until smooth.

5. Place crust onto a rimmed sheet pan and pour in about half of the cream cheese mixture.

6. To the remaining cream cheese mixture in the bowl, beat in the pistachio paste until well combined, about 1 minute. Using a large spoon, gently spread the pistachio batter on top of the cream cheese layer, being careful not to pour the pistachio batter right to the bottom of the pan; it should rest on top (for the most part, some sinking is OK and will be covered by berries).

7. Bake cheesecake until just set, about 70 to 90 minutes. The edges will be firm, but the center 3 inches will still jiggle and look a little damp; it will continue to set as it cools. Turn off the oven but open the oven door, leaving it ajar by an inch or two (you can use the handle of a wooden spoon to crack it open). Let cake cool in the oven for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before refrigerating (this gradual cooling helps prevent cracks). Cover loosely with plastic wrap or foil and chill for at least 8 hours or up to 3 days.

8. When ready to serve, carefully remove springform rim. Cover top of cake completely with raspberries. Melt the jelly in a small bowl either in the microwave or in a small pot on the stove. Using a pastry brush, coat the raspberries with the jelly to give them a nice shine. Cheesecake can be topped with berries up to 6 hours before serving and stored in the refrigerator.