Because white chocolate is made from cocoa butter, milk, and sugar it has a distinctly different flavor from what we all think of when chocolate is mentioned. The flavor is actually more like vanilla and because of the high fat content there is a wonderful mouth feel to good white chocolates. The addition of white chocolate to cheesecake brings out the flavor of both and the backdrop of lemon in this cheesecake is a perfect counterpoint to the smoothness of the chocolate and the creaminess of the cheese.
8 TO 10 SERVINGS
CRUST
- 1 cup almonds, toasted
- ¾ cup ground crisp lemon-flavored cookies (about 2½ ounces)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
FILLING
- 3 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s), chopped
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese room temperature
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 5 large eggs
TOPPING
- 4 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker’s), chopped
- ¼ cup whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons (packed) grated lemon peel
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds, toasted
- white chocolate curls
FOR CRUST:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2¾-inch-high sides with two layers of foil. Finely grind ½ cup almonds, cookies, sugar and lemon peel in processor. Add butter and ½ cup almonds. Process until nuts are chopped and moist clumps form. Press mixture onto bottom (not sides) of pan. Bake until crust is golden, about 20 minutes. Cool. Maintain oven temperature.
Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in sour cream and juice, then melted chocolate, peel, vanilla and cinnamon. Beat eggs one at a time.
Transfer filling to crust. Bake until edges of cheesecake puff and crack and center is just set, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Run small knife around sides of cake to loosen. Remove foil. Chill cheesecake uncovered overnight.
FOR TOPPING:
Combine white chocolate and cream in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Stir until chocolate melts. Whisk in grated lemon peel. Cool to room temperature.
Release pan sides from cake. Transfer cake to platter. Pour topping over center of cake, spreading evenly and leaving ½-inch border around edge of cake. Garnish with sliced almonds and white chocolate curls. Chill until topping is cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)
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