Lemon Verbena Cheesecake

Name: Lemon Verbena Cheesecake
Prep time: 5 h 10 min
Cook time: 5 h 10 min
Total time: 5 h 10 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp canola oil; 2 Tbsps cornstarch; 473 milliliters 16 ounces (1-percent) cottage cheese (about; 3 larges eggs, lightly beaten; 1 sprig Lemon verbena or lemon balm , for garnish; 2 Tbsps finely chopped fresh lemon verbena or lemon balm; 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice; 227 grams reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel), cut into pieces; 1 pinch Pinch salt; 2 liters fresh strawberries; 237 milliliters sugar; 2 Tbsps sugar; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 20 reduced-fat vanilla wafers

One serving contains 208 calories, 6g of protein, and 7g of fat. This vegetarian recipe serves 16. Head to the store and pick up lemon balm, lemon juice, sugar, and a few other things to make it today. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes approximately 5 hours and 10 minutes.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap the outside of the pan with a double thickness of foil. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Spray

Water

Wrap

Equipment you will use

Springform Pan

Aluminum Foil

To make crust: Pulse vanilla wafers in a food processor into fine crumbs.

Ingredients you will need

Vanilla Wafer Cookies

Crust

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Add oil and pulse to blend. Press crumb mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan. (Rinse and dry the workbowl.)

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

To make filling: Process cottage cheese in food processor until very smooth and silky, stopping to scrape down the sides once or twice.

Ingredients you will need

Cottage Cheese

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Add cream cheese and process until smooth.

Ingredients you will need

Cream Cheese

Add 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla and salt; process until well blended.

Ingredients you will need

Lemon Juice

Corn Starch

Vanilla

Sugar

Salt

Add eggs and pulse several times just until mixed in.

Ingredients you will need

Egg

Sprinkle in lemon verbena (or lemon balm); mix with a rubber spatula. (Do not process.) Scrape the filling into the crust-lined pan.

Ingredients you will need

Lemon Balm

Crust

Lemon

Equipment you will use

Spatula

Frying Pan

Place the cheesecake in a shallow roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come 1 inch up the outside of the springform pan.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Equipment you will use

Springform Pan

Roasting Pan

Bake until the edges are set but the center quivers slightly, 50 to 55 minutes. Turn off the oven.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Let the cheesecake cool in the oven, with the door ajar, for 1 hour.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Remove foil from pan. Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Ingredients you will need

Wrap

Equipment you will use

Plastic Wrap

Aluminum Foil

Frying Pan

To make topping: About 1/2 hour before serving, rinse strawberries. Set aside 3 whole berries for garnish; hull remaining berries and slice into a bowl.

Ingredients you will need

Strawberries

Berries

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar and toss to coat.

Ingredients you will need

Sugar

Let stand until strawberries are juicy, 20 to 30 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Strawberries

To serve, place cheesecake on a serving platter and run a knife around the inside edge of the pan; remove pan rim. Make 3 lengthwise cuts in each whole berry; press lightly and arrange fanned berries in the center of the cheesecake.

Ingredients you will need

Berries

Equipment you will use

Knife

Frying Pan

Garnish with a sprig of lemon verbena (or lemon balm).

Ingredients you will need

Lemon Balm

Lemon

Cut cheesecake into slices and place on dessert plates. Top each serving with strawberries and juice and garnish with another lemon verbena (or lemon balm) sprig.

Ingredients you will need

Strawberries

Lemon Balm

Juice