Lemon Mousse Cheesecake

Photo: flickr user Aaron Gustafson

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter, softened

6 ounces vanilla wafers

1/4 cup sugar

3 lg. lemons

4 eggs

24 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

cup all purpose flour

Preparation

As luscious as a classic cheesecake with the texture of a mousse. It is very creamy and difficult to cut so dip slicing knife in warm water and wipe dry between each slice.

For the crust: Coat a 9 x 3 or 10 1/2 x 2 inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. Seal the outside of the pan with foil. Process the wafers and sugar in a food processor into crumbs. Melt the remaining butter and add to the crumbs in a mixing bowl. Press mixture into the bottom of the pan.

For the filling: Grate 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, squeeze 3/4 cup juice. Set aside. Separate eggs. Put cream cheese in a bowl and beat until smooth. Gradually add 1 1/4 cup sugar and beat until light and fluffy (5 minutes). Add flour, egg yolks, lemon juice and zest then beat until smooth (1 minute). Whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining sugar while whipping the whites to firm peaks. Fold whites into the lemon butter.

Cooking: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pour batter into the springform pan. Put the springform pan into a baking dish just large enough to contain it. Put dish in oven and add hot tap water to come 1 inch up the side. Bake until set and golden, 55 - 65 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack and cool. Cover cake and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours. Can refrigerate 3 days or freeze up to one month.

Serving: Run a knife along edge of cake to loosen. Carefully remove pan rim. Sift powdered sugar on top just before serving.