Monday, April 5, 2010

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

In an effort to be more active on my blog, I'm finally updating with a fantasic recipe that I made this Easter. It's loosely based on an Epicurious recipe, but I altered it to make it more awesome and less artery-clogging

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used Honey-Maid Low Fat Honey)
0.25 cups dark brown sugar
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp lemon juice
5 Tbsp melted butter

Mix these ingredients and press them along the bottom and sides of a 9"-10" springform pan. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes, and then bake for 10-15 minutes.

Filling:
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, depending on the season)
4 8oz packages of cream cheese (I used 2 regular, 2 low-fat)
1.75 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream (lowfat)
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 Tbsp lemon zest (just the yellow part)
1/4 cup light cream
2 tsp vanilla extract (just eyeball it)
4 eggs at room temperature

Mix everything except the blueberries together until it's homogeneous. People like to tell you that the order or amount of time you mix things actually makes a difference, but I say to the devil with them. It's just a way they have of controlling you. I mean, don't mix it for an hour, be reasonable. Pour a third of the mixture in the pan over the crust. Then add the blueberries (they'll sink to the bottom for the most part, anyway, but that way they won't make the crust mushy when it bakes). Pour the rest of the mixture. Bake until the cheesecake only slightly jiggles when you shake it--usually at least an hour. Remove and let cool for about ten minutes while you assemble the topping.

Topping
1.5 cups sour cream
2 tsp lemon rind
0.5 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the topping, and spoon it over the hot cake, reaching the edges completely. Bake for about 10-15 more minutes. Let the cake cool on a rack on the counter for 15-20 minutes. Using a sharp, thin knife, loosen the edges of the cake from the pan (don't unspring the pan yet!). Pop the still hot cake into the refrigerator, uncovered, and let it set overnight before serving. Enjoy!

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