Passover Lemon Cheesecake With Almond Crust

blucoat's Note:

This cheesecake has a delicious nutty and crisp crust with a light but creamy citrusy filling. Recipe is from Gourmet (April 2008). Cheesecake can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, loosely covered. You can garnish with berries or julienned lemon zest. The cake needs to cool 2-3 hours before serving. If you don't have matzo cake meal, grind regular matzo meal (or even matzos) to a finer consistency in a food processor or blender.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

Almond Crust

• ¾ cup sliced blanched almond , toasted and cooled
• 2⁄3; cup sugar
• 2⁄3; cup matzo cake meal
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Lemon Cheesecake Filling

• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese , softened
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Make crust: Preheat oven to 350F with rack in middle. Pulse almonds, sugar, matzo cake meal, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter until combined well. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of springform pan. Bake until crust is firm and a shade darker, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on a rack.
2. Make filling and bake cheesecake: Reduce oven temperature to 300°F Beat together cream cheese and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add eggs 1 at a time, mixing until incorporated. Mix in zest and vanilla.
3. Put springform pan in a shallow baking pan and pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set 1 1/2 inches from edge but center is wobbly, 45 to 50 minutes (filling will continue to set as it cools). Transfer cake in pan to a rack and immediately run a knife around edge, then remove side of pan. Cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.