Like all things in this world, culinary styles also evolve. Who says cheesecake has to be sweet, these savory cheesecake bites are just as delicious.
Cheesecakes from the history books were all made up of the three main ingredients: cheese, flour, and sweetener. These decadent treats were somehow made to provide a soothing balance in every meal – a sweet balance that is. However, nowadays, people are searching for ways to modify the conventional cheesecake; from the usual after meal dessert to possibly the main course.
Although the quest for cheesecakes as the main event during meals is still going on, fortunately enough, cheesecakes are now developing new methods of presentation and taste.
Fresh Cheeses
First of all, savory cheesecakes differ from sweet ones in several aspects: the ingredients and the meal course. Although savory cheesecakes can also be eaten as desserts, they are more popularly consumed as the hors d’oeuvres, or appetizers.
There are several kinds of cheeses that are versatile enough to be used for either savory or sweet cheesecakes. The Italian ricotta cheese is one kind of cheese perfect for savory cheesecakes. Ricotta cheese is the byproduct of Romano cheese. In addition, ricotta cheeses can be made from cow’s, sheep’s or goat’s milk. This kind of cheese is now made from skim milk instead of whey.
Fresh cheeses can be used in making savory cheesecakes. When picking the correct fresh cheese, you should remember that it should have a delicate, milky, light, floral perfume and a moist texture. Fresh cheeses are sometimes referred to as fresh curd cheese and have high moisture content and can be achieved from any milk. However, fresh cheeses have a short shelf life and in order to ensure that you only get quality fresh cheeses, always make sure to avoid any with a rancid, musty or sour aroma and a tacky or dull surface.
Savory Cheesecakes with Fillings
Since most savory cheesecakes are served as appetizers, it is only appropriate to serve them bite-sized. An excellent example of such cheesecakes is Savory Cheesecake Bites. This kind of dish has three different fillings that can provide a wide variety of colors and tastes: tex-mex fillings, smoked salmon fillings, and peppy pizza fillings.
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Ingredients
Base & Crust
- ¾ Cup Almond Flour
- 8 oz. Softened Cream Cheese
- 3 Tbsp. Melted Butter
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 ½ tsp. Coconut Flour
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
Peppy Pizza Filling
- 2 Tbsp. Tomato Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese
- ¼ tsp. Dried Oregano
- ½ tsp. Dried Basil
- ¼ Finely Diced Red Pepper
The Tex-Mex Filling
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice
- 1 Tbsp. Chopped Coriander
- ¼ tsp. Ground Ginger
- ¼ tsp. Ground Cumin
- ½ tsp. Chili Powder
Smoked Salmon Filling
- ⅓ Cup Finely Chopped Smoked Salmon
- 1 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Dill
- 2 tsp. Lemon Juice
- Fresh Dill Sprigs
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees and grease miniature tart tins.
- In a separate bowl, combine the butter and the almond meal until they are moistened.
- Press one teaspoon of the mixture in each tart tin and bake for 8 minutes
- Beat the cream cheese and eggs, one at a time in another bowl. Add in the salt, pepper, coconut flour, and sour cream.
- Divide the batter in two bowls. You can prepare the fillings by combining each ingredient in separate bowls.
- Spoon one tablespoon of the filling over each tart base and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Karen says
Can these be made ahead and frozen?
Heather Cooan, MBA, NTP, FDN-P, ONCc says
Yes. Cheesecake filling freezes well after baking. If you try and freeze them before cooking, the texture will change. The cream cheese gets a bit grainy. So I would freeze them in their cooked form. Also, if you do a crust, you risk it getting soggy when you thaw them out.