GIADA'S LIMONCELLO CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Giada's Limoncello Cheesecake Squares image

Make and share this Giada's Limoncello Cheesecake Squares recipe from Food.com.

Provided by Phil Franco

Time 1h45m

Yield 1 cake

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray
8 ounces purchased biscotti
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1 (12 ounce) container fresh whole milk ricotta cheese, drained, at room temperature
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup limoncello
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature

Steps:

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.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 4080.1, Fat 291.4, SaturatedFat 177.8, Cholesterol 1701.7, Sodium 1919.7, Carbohydrate 277.9, Fiber 1.9, Sugar 255, Protein 98.7