Lemon Cheese Cake with Ginger Orange Crust

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

CRUST

1 package of Wackym's Kitchen Ginger Orange cookies
4 T butter, melted

Pulverize cookies in a food processor. Slowly add butter and process until sandy in texture. After completely blending, mash the mixture into a 9" springform pan with the bottom a double old fashioned glass. Bake 15-18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

FILLING

1/4 c sugar
1 T lemon zest
1 c sugar
1 1/2 lb cream cheese, at room temperature
4 eggs, at room temperature
1/4 c lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c heavy cream

Combine sugar and lemon in food processor until sunshine yellow. Mix in sugar.

In a stand mixer, mix cream cheese to break up, add zest mixture and blend until smooth and creamy. Then add eggs one at a time until thoroughly incorporated. Beat in lemon juice, vanilla, salt, and heavy cream until blended.

Pour into cooled spring form pan which has been wrapped with two 18" square layers of heavy tin foil. Bake in a roasting pan with hot tap water filled to half way up the sides of the springform for 55-60 minutes until the center jiggles slightly, the top is no longer shiny, and the sides puff slightly.

Turn off the oven and prop the door ajar with the bowl of a wooden spoon for 1 hour. Remove from the foil, run a knife around the edge of the crust, and cool for 2 hours.