Goat Cheese Cheesecake with Wine & Walnut Sauce

For the crust:
Ingredients
1 cup walnut halves, toasted

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons sugar

2oz Graziers Unsalted Butter, melted

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Process walnuts, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor until fine; transfer to a bowl and stir in butter. Press crumbs onto the bottom and 1” up the sides of a 9” springform pan. Bake crust until golden, about 10 minutes; cool while preparing the filling. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

For the filling:
Ingredients

1lb (16oz) Bella Capra Goat Chevre, room temperature

4oz Gina Marie Cream Cheese, room temperature

¾ cup sugar

½ cup sour cream

3 eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons heavy cream

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Beat both cheeses, sugar, and sour cream together in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer on low speed) until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in cream and vanilla.

Pour filling into cooled crust, smooth the top, and bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 60-80 minutes. The center will not be fully set. Remove cake from oven and let stand at room temperature until completely cool; cover and chill overnight.

For the sauce:
Ingredients

Simmer:

¾ cup dry red wine

1/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Pinch of salt

Pour over:

½ cup walnuts, toasted, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Simmer wine, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking until thick, 2-3 minutes. Pour syrup over remaining ingredients; toss to coat.