Chevre Cream with Honey Gelee

This experimentation originated with the Ile de France recipe competition. I wanted something that could end a meal in a novel manner and would satisfy both a cheese-lover and a dessert-lover at the same time.

The outcome was a gently sweetened chevre cream, matched to a honey gelee. It's the kind of make-ahead dish I've come to appreciate when I'm preparing a dinner party for friends. The gelee and the chevre cream will keep separately for several days in the fridge, which means you can get dessert ready well in advance of your other courses. It gives me great peace of mind to know one course can be ready for the table within a few minutes of assembly.

There is also something playful about offering a jelly as the end of the meal. As a child, I thought jelly was a wonderful substance. I still do, but I prefer more subtle versions these days, with more variety in the flavoring elements. Think coconut milk or Earl Grey tea or gin and tonic gelees....

Extra experimentation is up to you.


Chevre Cream with Honey Gelee
(8 diminutive portions)

1 1/2 tsp. (1 envelope) unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup honey
4 c plain greek yogurt
3 oz fresh goat cheese (chevre), at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
cinnamon, for serving

Put the gelatin in a small saucepan and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of water over it. Let this sit for 5 minutes, to soften the gelatin. Add honey and 1/3 cup the water. Bring this all to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and stir until the gelatin dissolves and the honey is amalgamated.

Pour this mixture into an 8" square baking pan and chill until set. About 2-3 hours. Meanwhile, you'll want to strain the yogurt if what you have isn't already thickened to the consistency of heavily whipped cream. You can omit this step if you're using Greek yogurt.

Combine the chevre, yogurt and sugar in a small bowl, and set aside until ready for serving. Bring to room temperature if you're planning to store this in the fridge for any period of time.

To serve, use a sharp knife to cut the gelee into 1" diamonds or squares (or stars, if you're feeling artistic). Dollop some chevre on the center of each plate, top with one or two pieces of the gelee, and dust with cinnamon.