Recipes : Limoncello Cheesecake Squares : Food Network

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Limoncello Cheesecake Squares
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Nonstick cooking spray
8 ounces purchased biscotti
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 (12-ounce) container fresh whole milk ricotta, drained, at room temperature
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup limoncello liqueur*, store bought or homemade, recipe follows
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of
a 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Finely grind the
biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon
zest, and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the
bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about
15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.

Blend the ricotta in a clean food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese and
sugar and blend well, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping down the
sides of the work bowl. Blend in the limoncello, vanilla, and remaining 2
tablespoons of lemon zest. Add the eggs one at a time, and pulse just until
blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the baking pan in a large
roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the
sides of the baking pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the
cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (the cake will
become firm when it is cold).

Transfer the cake to a rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is
cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut the cake into squares and serve.

*Limoncello liqueur can be found at most liquor stores and in the liquor
department of some specialty markets. If limoncello liqueur is unavailable at
stores near you, use the following recipe to make your own limoncello liqueur.

Limoncello
10 lemons
1 (750-ml) bottle vodka
3 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemons in long strips (reserve
the lemons for another use). Using a small sharp knife, trim away the white pith
from the lemon peels; discard the pith. Place the lemon peels in a 2-quart
pitcher. Pour the vodka over the peels and cover with plastic wrap. Steep the
lemon peels in the vodka for 4 days at room temperature.

Stir the water and sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar
dissolves, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Pour the sugar syrup over the vodka
mixture. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. Strain the limoncello
through a mesh strainer. Discard the peels. Transfer the limoncello to bottles.
Seal the bottles and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 month.
Yield: 7 cups
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 4 days and 4 hours