Desserts

Honey Lemon Cheesecake

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living

A light, airy cheesecake, made delicious with local cottage cheese. Use Midel Gingersnaps for the crust.

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

60 minutes

Yield

16 Servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1⁄3 cup honey
  pinch salt
20 gingersnap cookies
16 ounces cottage cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1⁄3 cup sugar
3 egg
  lemon zest
2 quarts strawberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325F. Lightly butter a 9" springform pan.

To prepare crust:

Pulse ginger snaps in a food processor into fine crumbs, adding vegetable oil and pulsing again. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. Rinse and dry the food processor before proceeding to the next step.

To prepare filling:

Process cottage cheese in the food processor until very smooth and silky. Add cream cheese and blend again. Add sugar, honey, arrowroot powder, lemon juice, vanilla and salt; blend well. Add eggs and lemon zest and pulse again. Scrape filling into crust.

Place the cheesecake pan inside a shallow roasting pan and pour in piping hot water to come about 1" up the outside of the pan. Bake until the edges are set but the center quivers slightly, 50-60 minutes.

Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool with the door ajar for 1 hour. Then cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. (Can be made ahead.)

Notes

Serve plain or topped with sliced fresh strawberries mixed with a little honey.