Lemon Cheesecake

For Christmas Dinner I have made one of mine and DH's favorite Lemon Cheesecakes using one of my Meyer Lemons from my private tree stash. Each lemon produces a ½ to ¾ - Cup of Lemon juice and a nice amount of lemon peel to boot. The recipe has been modified from one of the Original Williams and Sonoma cookbook series Cakes, Cupcakes and Cheesecakes. If you see this one it is well worth the money to place in your cookbook collection.

Preheat oven to 350 F, and prepare 9-inch spring form pan for crust.

For the Crust
1/3 Cup pecans, roasted and chopped well
1 ¾ Cup graham cracker crumbs
¼ Cup Dark Brown Sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon peel
¼ Cup fresh lemon juice
½ Cup unsalted butter, melted

Mix the first five ingredients together well. Add the lemon juice and mix until well incorporated. Add butter and mix until crust mix starts sticking together. Pour crust mix into spring form pan and distribute evenly over the bottom. With a spoon or a plastic bag over your hand, press the crumb mix together beginning at the center of the pan and working out to the edges. Press crumbs up the edge approx 1 to 1.5 – inches. Bake for 1 minute then cool.

For the Filling
2 lb good quality cream cheese, room temperature
1 Cup sugar
½ Cup heavy cream (you will need an 8oz carton for recipe)
½ Cup fresh lemon juice
1 envelope Knox gelatin
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
½ Cup heavy cream

Mix cream cheese and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy add cream and make sure mixed well. Add lemon juice and make sure mixed well. In a small heat proof pan add gelatin and 1 Tablespoon lemon juice. With low-medium heat cook until all is in a liquid state, slowly add cream while stirring. Slowly pour the cream-gelatin mix into cream cheese mixture while beating on low. Pour Cream Cheese filling into the crust and then refrigerate for 2 hours before eating.

Note: make a day ahead for full flavor infusion.