LEMON-GINGER CHEESECAKE

      Title: LEMON-GINGER CHEESECAKE
  Categories: Cheesecakes
       Yield: 12 Servings
  
            -ELAINE RADIS BGMB90B
 
 MMMMM---------------------------CRUST--------------------------------
      15    Vanilla wafers
      15    Gingersnaps
       3 tb Sugar
       1 tb Lemon peel; grated
     1/4 c  Unsalted butter; melted
 
 MMMMM--------------------------FILLING-------------------------------
       1 tb Unflavored gelatin; plus
     3/4 ts Unflavored gelatin
     1/4 c  Cold water
       2    Zest; from lemons
       1    Fresh ginger; 1" piece peele
     3/4 c  Sugar; plus
       2 tb Sugar
            Salt; pinch
       3    Egg yolks; large
     3/4 c  Whole milk
      12 oz Cream cheese; room temp
     1/3 c  Lemon juice; fresh
   1 1/2 c  Whipping cream; chilled
       1 c  Lemon curd*
  
   CRUST:  Preheat oven to 350.  Position rack in center of oven.
   Lightly oil 9" springform pan.  Finely grind all wafers and
   gingersnaps w/ sugar and lemon peel in FP. Add butter and blend well.
   Sprinkle crumbs over bottom of prepared pan.  Press to form buttered
   crust.
    Bake until golden brown; 12 Minutes.  Cool before filling.
   
   FILLING: Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small bowl. Let stand 10
   minutes to soften.  Mince lemon peel and ginger with sugar and salt
   in FP until all are as fine as sugar. Really zap it. Add yolks in FP
   and blend until Light and fluffy.  Scald milk in heavy sauce pan.
   With FP running; add milk through feed tube and blend well. Return
   mixture to sauce pan. Stir over med. to low heat until mixture
   thickens; about 12 min. Do NOT BOIL. Add gelatin mixture to custard
   and stir until dissolved. Refectories until thickened but not set
   (about 20 min), stirring often.
    Blend cream cheese and lemon juice in FP until smooth. Add custard
   (the stuff from the fridge) and blend until smooth. Pour into large
   bowl. Whip cream in med bowl till it holds soft peaks. Gently fold
   into custard filling. Pour 1/2 of filling over crust.
    Spoon 1/2 of lemon curd by T'sponfulls over filling.
    Swirl mixtures together using tip of knife.  Pour remaining filling
   over. Spoon remaining curd over and repeat swirl. Refrigerate at
   least 4 hours or overnight.  Run knife around sides of cake.  Release
   pan. And you thought it was easy---at least you don't have to bake.
   This is a wonderful cake but if you don't have a FP, forget it....
   *Lemon Curd can be bought at speciality stores or check the Gourmet
   section.
[ add our full cookbook to your website ] [ Search The Cookbook ]