Lemon Cheesecake With Gingersnap Crust

Total Time: 6 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 5 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
• 1 teaspoon water
• 1 tablespoon lemon peel, grated
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 large egg yolks
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 stick)
• 20 vanilla wafer cookies
• 10 gingersnap cookies
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon peel, grated
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (1/2 stick)
• 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
• 3/4 teaspoon unflavored gelatin, additional
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 lemons, the peel only (removed with a vegetable peeler)
• fresh ginger, peeled (1 1-inch piece)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons sugar (additional)
• salt, generous pinch
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3/4 cup milk (do not use lowfat or nonfat)
• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream, chilled
• fresh mint, sprigs (garnish)

Recipe

• 1 lemon curd (makes about 1 cup).
• 2 in small cup, sprinkle gelatin over water. allow to soften 10 minutes.
• 3 in processor, mince lemon peel with sugar until lemon peel is as fine as sugar. transfer to heavy small saucepan.
• 4 add in lemon juice and yolks, then butter; mix.
• 5 stir over medium heat until very thick, about 5 minutes; do not boil.
• 6 transfer to bowl. add gelatin and stir to dissolve.
• 7 cool completely, stirring frequently, about 1 hour.
• 8 crust.
• 9 position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees farenheit.
• 10 lightly oil 9-inch-diameter springform pan.
• 11 add vanilla wafers and gingersnaps with sugar and lemon peel to food processor and finely grind. add butter and blend well.
• 12 make bottom crust by sprinkling crumbs over the bottom of pan and pressing down.
• 13 bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. cool.
• 14 filling.
• 15 in small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; allow to stand 10 minutes to soften.
• 16 in processor, mince lemon peel and ginger with sugar and salt until lemon peel and ginger are the consistency of sugar.
• 17 add yolks and blend until light and fluffy.
• 18 in heavy medium saucepan, scald milk.
• 19 with processor running, add milk through feed tube and blend well.
• 20 return mixture to saucepan. stir over medium-low heat until mixture thickens, about 12 minutes; mixture should leave path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across; do not boil.
• 21 add gelatin mixture to custard and stir until dissolved.
• 22 strain into bowl, pressing on solids with back of spoon.
• 23 refrigerate until thickened but not set, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes.
• 24 add cream cheese and lemon juice to processor and blend until smooth. add custard and blend until smooth. transfer to large bowl.
• 25 in medium bowl, whip cream until it forms soft peaks. gently fold into filling.
• 26 pour half of filling over crust. using a tablespoonfuls, spoon half of curd over filling. swirl mixtures together using tip of knife.pour remaining filling over.
• 27 using tablespoonfuls, spoon remaining curd over. swirl mixtures together using tip of knife.
• 28 refrigerate cheesecake at least 4 hours or overnight.
• 29 after running a knife around sides of cake, release pan sides.
• 30 garnish with mint.