Lemon Shortbread Cheesecake

A smooth, delicate cheesecake. Lemon zest in the crust brings out the tang of the cheese. Prep and Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours, plus at least 4 hours cooling and chilling time.

Yield: Makes one 8-in. cheesecake; 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients

• 7  ounces  shortbread cookies
• 2  tablespoons  plus 1 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest (from about 3 lemons), divided
• 1  cup  sugar, divided
• 12  ounces  fresh, mild goat cheese (such as Haystack Boulder Chèvre)
• 10  ounce  cream cheese
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice, divided
• 1  teaspoon  finely grated fresh orange zest
• 1/2  cup  sour cream
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla
• 2  eggs
• 8  to 10 medium strawberries, stemmed

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Crumble cookies into a food processor and pulse until finely ground. In a medium bowl, toss 2 tbsp. lemon zest with 1 1/2 tbsp. sugar. Add cookie crumbs and mix well. Butter sides of an 8-in. pan with removable rim and press cookie mixture into bottom; bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in pan.

2. Lower temperature to 275°. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat goat cheese and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add remaining lemon zest, 1 tbsp. lemon juice, the orange zest, 3/4 cup sugar, the sour cream, and the vanilla; beat well. Scrape bowl and add eggs; beat well.

3. Pour batter onto crust and bake about 1 hour, or until set on the sides but still quite jiggly in the center and only slightly sticky. Turn oven off, crack oven door, and let cake cool in oven 2 hours. Remove and let cool completely; then chill, covered, at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

4. Run a thin knife between cake and rim of pan and remove rim. Thinly slice strawberries, then toss with remaining 2 1/2 tbsp. sugar and lemon juice. Arrange on cake.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

293 (55% from fat)

Protein:

8g

Fat:

18g (sat 10)

Carbohydrate:

25g

Fiber:

0.4g

Sodium:

229mg

Cholesterol:

70mg