This recipe comes from a friend, who says she got it from Chocolatier magazine. The cream cheese/mascarpone mixture produces the most luxuriously smooth and sinful cheesecake you will ever taste. The lemon flavor marries perfectly with the tanginess of the cream cheese, accentuating, but not overpowering it. The original was baked on an almond-graham cracker crust, to me it detracted from the pure creamy lemon sensation of the cheesecake, so I bake it au naturelle.
Ingredients:
Garnish:
In the bowl of your mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-low speed until light and smooth. Add the mascarpone and sugar and continue to beat on medium-low speed until well blended, approximately 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium speed add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the side of the bowl after each addition. Blend in the lemon zest and juice.
Pour the mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Place pan inside a larger pan and put it in the center of the oven. Fill the outer pan with water, being careful not to splash any of the water into the cheesecake, until it comes approximately 1/2 of the way up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for approximately one hour, until the cake has set and the top is beginning to get golden brown.
Remove the cake from the oven and from the water bath. Place it on a wire rack and allow to cool slightly. Refrigerate the cake until completely cooled, 6 hours or overnight.
Loosen the cake by running a knife between it and the side of the pan. Remove the cake from the pan and press the sliced almonds around the sides of the cake, and sprinkle some candied lemon zest around the edges. Slice and serve.
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