Limoncello Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cups graham crackers, crushed

1 stick (8 Tbl) butter, melted

2 Tbl sugar

1 Tbl lemon zest

heavy pinch of salt

Filling:

4 pkg 8 oz cream cheese, room temp

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs, room temp

1/4 cup cornstarch

2/3 cup limoncello

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbl lemon zest

Topping:

lemon zest or candied lemons

Instructions:

Butter or spray a 9 inch springform pan
For crust: Mix crumbed crackers with sugar, salt and melted butter.
Press mixture into the bottom of the pan and up the sides if desired.
Bake at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes. Cool completely
For filling: Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Beat in one egg at a time.
Add remaining ingredients one at a time, mixing thoroughly with each addition.
Pour filling onto crust and bake at 325 for 60 minutes. To test doneness: gently jiggle the pan, the edges should be mostly set and the middle should still jiggle.
Shut off oven, partially open door and leave in the oven for 1 hour. Remove and set aside to cool completely. Then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
For candied lemons: slice lemons and remove any seeds.
Put lemons in boiling water for 45 seconds, remove and put immediately into an ice bath.
Bring to boil in a saucepan, 1 cup water and 1 cup powdered sugar. Add lemons and reduce to simmer
Simmer lemons for 30 to 40 minutes until they are translucent and the liquid is like syrup.
Remove and cool on parchment paper. Dip in sugar and use to decorate cheesecake.