Spring brings dessert with it

Last weekend I found the first rhubarb and green garlic of spring. Only one farm at the market had them both, and I took them gladly took them home with me. I had taken up the duty to make a dessert the next day for Easter at my parent's house, and I had a great idea in mind for my market purchase.

In my family, everyone's dessert tastes are a little bit different ranging from skittles to oatmeal cookies. At Easter dinner my Dad even brought up how much he loved it when his Mom would make him Mock Apple Pie. Only my Mom knew what that actually meant, and the rest of us were confused and slightly afraid as the recipe was slowly described to us.

Soon after Ritz crackers arrived in grocery stores in the 1930's, they began publishing a recipe for "Mock Apple Pie" on the box. This recipe has you make a pastry crust, crumble it full of Ritz crackers, pour a lemon-cinnamon-sugar syrup on top of it, place another pastry crust over top and bake. Apparently the concoction tastes like an apple pie, my Dad raved about it, I was fairly suspicious.

Anyhow, the dessert I did make pleased everyone, even my Dad. I wanted to combine a few different flavors: the first spring rhubarb, cheesecake to please, and rich brown butter. I think it turned out delicious, I like to make cheesecake in a thin tart, its heaviness isn't overwhelming. The brown butter was much more subtle than I had hoped, and the next time I would pipe very thick lines of it in the tart.

Crust
I used the recipe for a sweet cookie tart crust from Rose Levy Beranbaum's Pie and Pastry Bible. Any standard recipe will work that you like to use. My tart pan with a removable bottom is 10 x 1 inch.

Compote
1.5 c. chopped rhubarb
1/2 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. orange liquor
zest of one orange
juice of one orange

Combine all compote ingredients in a saucepan on medium heat. Heat until bubbling, and then slightly lower the temperature. Stir occasionally until the mixture reduces to a jam-like consistency - about 15 minutes. Take off of heat an set aside.

Brown Butter
1/4 c. sugar
1 egg
4 Tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
5 Tbsp butter

In a saucepan, melt butter on low-medium heat. Watch the butter after it has melted completely until it takes on a nutty brown aroma and color - there may be solids present. Take off heat, do not burn. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt. Mix in the flour. After the browned butter has slightly cooled, whisk into the egg mixture and set aside.

Cheesecake Filling
4 oz. cream cheese softened
2 eggs
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c. creme fraiche *(I made my creme fraiche at home, and it was very soft. If you buy yours and it is very solid replace half of the amount with heavy cream)

In a food processor, electric mixer, or medium mixing bowl cream together the cream cheese and sugar until creamy and well combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla well. Blend in the creme fraiche until the mixture is uniform.

Assembly
Pour the cheesecake filling into the cooled tart crust. On top of the cheesecake filling, pipe or spoon the compote into 2-3 circles tracing the outline of the tart crust, becoming smaller in diameter the closer to the center of the tart you come. Do the same with the brown butter filling, making sure to make very thick circles. If desired, run a toothpick from the outer edge of the crust to the center at various places along the crust edge to blend the different fillings slightly. Carefully place the filled tart in the oven, and bake 20-30 minutes until the filling has puffed and turned a golden color. Cool on a rack, and the filling will settle into the crust. Serve chilled or at room temperature.