Pistachio Cheesecake

Here is a great creamy cheesecake with delectable swirls of pistachio paste. Serve it with fresh strawberries for a lovely spring dessert. Or garnish it with a dusting of shaved chocolate or gobs of fudge sauce for a decadent dessert.

Yield: 1 (9 inch) cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plain, dry bread crumbs
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (room temperature)
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cake flour or cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup Love’n Bake® Pistachio Nut Paste

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the pan in aluminum foil before filling to keep water from leeching into it.
2. Sprinkle it with bread crumbs, shaking out any excess crumbs. Set side.
3. Blend the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix scraping the bowl frequently until no lumps remain.
4. Add the eggs one at a time scraping the bowl after each one is mixed into the batter.
5. Add the flour and blend until combined.
6. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, sour cream and heavy cream. Mix until well blended.
7. Scrape the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan leaving a generous 1/2 cup of the batter in the mixing bowl.
8. Add the Pistachio Paste to the mixer bowl and blend it into the batter. Drop the pistachio paste mixture by tablespoonsful on the surface of the cheesecake batter. Drag a knife through the batter several times to swirl the pistachio paste mixture throughout the batter.
9. Bake the cake in the oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until it firms and barely jiggles in the center. The cheesecake may also be placed in a pan full of hot water before baking. This helps prevent it from cracking.
10. Cool the cheesecake on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature.
11. Refrigerate overnight until chilled.
12. Remove the cake from the pan and garnish the edges with grated chocolate, cocoa powder or chopped pistachios.
13. Serve with sliced fresh strawberries.

Notes

Hazelnut Cheesecake: Try this recipe with our Love’n Bake® Hazelnut Praline Paste.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: Love'n Bake® - ingredients from American Almond Products