The ricotta and chevre serve to lighten the recipe and add terrific flavor. This is definitely another great recipe from The Food Fairy!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup yellow cornmeal or walnuts
- 2 TBLSP sugar for crust + 1 cup sugar for cheesecake
- 3 oz unsalted butter, melted
- 4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ lb. cream cheese
- 6 oz Maple View chevre
- 6 oz ricotta
- Zest of 2 lemons
- ¾ cup whole farm-style buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1 9 oz jar Elderberry Jam
- 1/2 cup dark, milk or white chocolate chips
Directions
NOTE: You may substitute ¾ lb. additional cream cheese for the chevre and ricotta.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 10-inch springform pan.
- Combine graham crackers, cornmeal, 2 TBLSP sugar and 3 oz of melted butter. Press the mix into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, until lightly golden. Set aside. Increase oven temperature to 550°
- Cream the 4-oz of butter, cream cheese, ricotta, chevre, lemon zest and 1 cup sugar until smooth. Add the buttermilk and vanilla. Beat, scraping the bowl occasionally until well combined.
- Add the eggs and slowly beat just to combine. DO NOT OVERMIX.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture into the crust. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Reduce oven to 200° and continue to bake for 1 hour. Turn off heat and keep the oven door open wide. Let the cake cool in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove cake from oven and let cool on counter. While the cake is cooling, heat the elderberry jam over low heat until liquid, stirring occasionally. Pour the melted elderberry jam over the top of the cake and use a spatula to spread evenly.
- Place cake in refrigerator to cool.
- Put chocolate chips in a plastic zip lock baggie and seal. Heat a bowl of water in the microwave on high until hot, but not boiling. Place bag of chips in water, turn the bag over a few times and gently knead until all is melted. Squeeze all the chocolate into one corner of the bag, and holding it like a pastry bag, snip off a tiny bit of the corner of the bag. Decorate the cake in your favorite pattern.
- Refrigerate until serving.
NOTE: You may substitute ¾ lb. additional cream cheese for the chevre and ricotta.