Mascarpone cheesecake

After baking lots of different cheesecakes, a guy I dated told me that his favourite cheesecake was made with mascarpone cheese. The relationship didn’t last, but I made one of my best cheesecakes ever. Thanks dude.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Butter bottom and side of a 9-inch springform pan.

Step 2

Stir together ground graham crackers and butter in a bowl. Pat onto bottom. Bake pan until golden, about 10 minutes. Cool completely on a rack, about 25 minutes. Leave oven on.

Step 3

Beat cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium high speed until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes.

Step 4

Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Step 5

Add vanilla, lemon juice, and salt and mix at low speed until combined.

Step 6

Pour into cooled crust and bake for 45 minutes in a hot water bath until cake is set and puffed around edge but still trembles slightly when pan is shaken gently.

Step 7

Turn off the oven and let it cool (door closed) for 45 minutes. Then let the cheesecake cool with the oven door cracked open for 20 minutes. This is important to not let the cake collapse or crack!

Step 8

Take the cheesecake out and let it cool on a baking rack for 20 minutes.

Step 9

Stir together sour cream, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl and spoon over cheesecake, spreading gently and evenly.

Step 10

Bake cheesecake until topping is set, about 10 minutes.

Step 11

Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Step 12

Chill, loosely covered, at least 8 hours in the refrigerator.

Step 13

Run a hot knife around the edges and pop it out from the springform pan. Decorate and eat!