Lemon-Ginger Blueberry Cheesecake
Almost not a cheesecake, this is a whipped, refreshing treat with fresh blueberries and lemon. A buttery, homemade graham cracker crust makes it all the more to love. Use a pie plate or try a square pan for cutting into bars. My twist is a dash of ginger to complement the lemon and cream cheese.
Ingredients
Crust
12 full-bar graham crackers (1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs)
6 tablespoons (85g) butter, melted (salted or unsalted)
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
Filling
16 oz cream cheese (2 blocks; 454g), softened to room temp
1 large egg, beaten
6 tablespoons (75g) of granulated sugar
1 lemon = 1 teaspoon lemon zest (I prefer Meyer lemons) plus 3 tablespoons (45ml) lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger (or 1/4 teaspoon fresh pureed ginger)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (pure makes a big difference)
1-1/2 cups (225g) fresh blueberries (medium sized)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Optional: line the pie plate or a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper with enough overhang on the sides. Set aside.
For the crust: Place the full graham crackers into a food processor and grind them into fine crumbs. Stir the graham cracker crumbs and granulated sugar together in a medium bowl, and stir in the melted butter. Use your fingers to press evenly into the bottom of the pan.
Prebake the crust for 8 minutes. Cool for a few minutes.
For the filling: Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer for 1 minute on medium speed until smooth. Add in the egg, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, ginger, and vanilla extract together and continue mixing on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Gently fold in the blueberries. Spread the filling evenly onto the warm crust.
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the cheesecake has set up and the edges are lightly browned. Cool for 30 minutes and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to set.
Serve as slices or cut into bars. Top with thin slices of lemon or more blueberries.