When Life Gives You Lemons...Make Lemon-Goat Cheese Cheesecake

Lemon. Goat cheese. Cheesecake. Enough said.

I made this delightful dessert for a potluck and it was quite a hit! The recipe comes from a--very appropriate--book that my parents gave me on their last visit to Santa Barbara. The amount of lemon and goat cheese is a perfect combination for a subtly sweet and tangy cheesecake. I tried it topped with a touch of honey and it was a great addition.



Happy Baking!

Leon-Goat Cheese Cheesecake (from Luscious Lemon Desserts, Lori Longbotham)

1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup finely grated lemon zest
1.5 pounds soft, mild goat cheese
One 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
8 large eggs

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350. Butter teh bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan. Have ready a roasting pan. Put a kettle of water to boil for the water bath.

2. Stir the crumbs and the butter together with a fork in a medium bowl until combined well. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of teh pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust is set. Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce the oven to 325.

3. Process the sugar and the zest in a food processor until the zest is finely ground.

4. Beat the goat cheese and the cream cheese with an electric mixer in a medium bowl, beginning on low and increasing to med-high speed, until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to medium, add the sugar mixture and the lemon juice, and beat until smooth, scraping down the side of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Wrap the outside of the springform pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Pour filling into the pan and set in the roasting pan. Place it in the oven, and carefully pour in enough boiling water to reach halfway up the side of the springform pan.

6. Bake for 1 hour and 30 to 40 minutes, until the center is almost set but still slightly jiggly. Do not overbake; the cheesecake will firm as it cools. Remove the roasting pan from the oven and let the cheesecake cool in the water bath for 15 minutes. Remove from the bath and let cool on a wire rack. Remove the foil. Refrigerate the cheesecake in its pan, loosely covered, for at least 8 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.

7. Run a table knife around the inside edge of teh pan and remove the pan's side. Let the cheesecake stand at room temp. for 20 minutes before serving.