Weekend Recap: Southern Reinvention at Belle Chevre

This past weekend, Cooking Light joined Tasia Malakasis at her brand new artisan creamery in Elkmont, Alabama. Tasia is the great mind behind Belle Chèvre. You might remember reading about her in our Food Revolution article from last November.

Tasia recently opened a newly-remodeled 8,000-square-foot creamery and tasting room right behind her cheese shop in downtown Elkmont. To celebrate, she hosted a Southern Reinvention, a day of food, music, fashion, and fun for folks from near and far. We dished up Salted Caramel Goat-Cheese Cakes made with, of course, Belle Chèvre chèvre (get the recipe below). We also highlighted how Southern favorites can be made light with our Creole Deviled Eggs.

Adapted from our Salted Caramel CheesecakesHands-on time: 40 minutesTotal time: 2 hours, 40 minutes

CHEESECAKES30 vanilla wafers2 tablespoons canola oilCooking spray2/3 cup packed light brown sugar2/3 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened6 ounces goat cheese, softened1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract1/3 teaspoon table salt2 large eggs

TOPPING1/2 cup granulated sugar2 tablespoons water1 tablespoon butter1/3 cup evaporated milk1/2 teaspoon flake salt or coarse seat salt

1. Preheat oven to 300°.

2. To prepare cheesecake, place wafers in a food processor; process until finely ground. Add oil; pulse to combine. Coat 36 miniature muffin cups generously with cooking spray. Spoon about 1 packed tablespoon crumb mixture into each muffin cup; press crumbs firmly into bottom. Bake at 300° for 9 minutes or until browned. Remove pans from oven; cool on wire racks

3. Wipe food processor clean. Place brown sugar, yogurt, cream cheese, and goat cheese in processor; process until smooth. Add vanilla, table salt, and eggs; process until smooth. Spoon about 1 tablespoon batter into each muffin cup. Bake at 300° for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers of cheesecakes barely move when pans are touched. Remove pans from oven; cool on wire racks to room temperature. Cover pans; refrigerate cheesecakes 2 hours or until well chilled.

4. While cheesecakes chill, combine granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly (about 3 minutes). Continue cooking 12 minutes or until the color of light brown sugar (do not stir). Remove from heat; carefully stir in butter and milk (caramelized sugar will harden and stick to spoon). Place pan over medium-high heat until caramelized sugar melts. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; cook caramel to room temperature. Cover and chill 1 hour or until slightly thickened.

5. Run a thin knife around outside edge of each cheesecake. Carefully remove cheesecakes from pans; place on a platter. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon caramel over each cheesecake. Sprinkle cheesecakes evenly with flake salt.

Serves 36CALORIES 89; FAT 4.6g (sat 2.1g, mono 1.5g, poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 2.4g; CARB 9.7g; FIBER 0.1g; CHOL 19mg; IRON 0.3mg; SODIUM 102mg; CALC 30mg

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