Triple Citrus Cheesecake

~heidi~'s Note:

Refreshing! EDIT: I recently updated this recipe to include a walnut crust and white chocolate in the filling.

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

Ingredients:

Serves: 16

Yield: 1.0 cheesec ...

Walnut Crust

• 1 cup finely chopped vanilla wafer cookie
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling

• 24 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 10 ounces white chocolate
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 lime, juice and zest of
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of
• 1 orange, juice and zest of
• 2 -3 drops yellow food coloring (optional)
• 3 large eggs and 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup flour, scant

Garnishing

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• confectioners' sugar, to taste
• 2 ounces white chocolate

Directions:

1. Gather filling ingredients aside to bring to room temperature.
2. CRUST:.
3. Grease and "sugar" a 9-inch springform pan (like you would grease and flour a cake pan).
4. In small mixer bowl, mix crust ingredients (best to chop the wafers and nuts in a food processor. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes at 325 degrees F.
5. FILLING:
6. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees F. Place a pan of water on the lowest oven rack and spritz the top and sides of the oven with water.
7. Melt chocolate and set aside.
8. Beat cream cheese until fluffy on low speed. Scraping sides of bowl constantly, slowly incorporate the other ingredients in this order: sugar, chocolate, extract, zest, juices, food coloring, eggs (one at a time), and flour.
9. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Decrease temperature to 215 degrees F and cook for another 50-60 minutes or until the sides look firm and the center is still jiggly.
10. Leave in the oven with the door slightly propped open until the pan is cool, and then transfer to the refrigerator (do not cover). Flavors peak after about 24-36 hours of refrigeration.
11. DECORATE (before serving):
12. Melt the remaining chocolate and drizzle over the top with a fork.
13. Whip the cream and flavor with lemon peel and vanilla. Sweeten to taste. Pipe around the edge of the cheesecake.
14. Tips:
15. Do not open the oven door until close to the end of the baking time.
16. Before baking, drop the cake on the counter repeatedly to bring air bubbles to the surface. Draw a sharp knife in the filling in a "S" shape to draw up bubbles.