White Chocolate Lemon Cheesecake

This exquisite cheesecake was a second prize winner in a Chocolatier Magazine chocolate recipe contest.

Crust:
1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
8 oz. white chocolate
1/2 cup cream
1 1/2 lb. soft cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
Grated peel of 3 lemons
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup white rum (optional)

Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze:
6 ounce semisweet chocolate
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped raw pistachios

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the chocolate wafer crumbs and melted butter. Press them into the bottom of a 10" springform pan. Refrigerate until the crust is ready to be filled.

Break up the white chocolate into pieces. Place them, with the cream, in the top of a double boiler and melt them, over barely simmering water. Stir to combine the chocolate and cream, and remove from the heat. Allow the chocolate and cream mixture to cool somewhat.

In a food processor, or by hand, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Add the sugar and blend the mixture well. Mix in the white chocolate and cream combination. Now, add the eggs, one at a time. Add the lemon juice, grated lemon peel and flavoring extracts. Add the rum, if desired.

Pour the filling into the chocolate cookie crust. Bake the cheesecake in the preheated 350 oven for 45-50 minutes, or until barely set. Remove, cool on a rack to room temperature. Remove the sides of the springform pan.

In the double boiler, over barely simmering water, melt the semisweet and unsweetened chocolates together with the light corn syrup. Stir to combine, and remove from the heat. Allow to cool slightly. Stir in the butter, a little at a time, mixing thoroughly. Spread the glaze over the top of the cheese cake, and down the sides to meet the edge of the chocolate cookie crust. Decorate the top of the cheesecake with the finely chopped pistachio nuts in a circle in the center. 

Makes 20 slices.