1 1/2 c Graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c Butter; melted
1/2 c Vanilla sugar (see note)
3 lg Egg; separated
8 oz Cream cheese; softened
3 ts Lemon juice; fresh
1 Lemon rind; finely grated
1/2 c Raisins or currants
1/2 c Heavy cream; whipped *
* comparable amount of dairy sour cream may be substituted.
Note: Vanilla sugar is made by placing a piece of vanilla bean in a
canister of sugar. Let it remain buried in the sugar several days or until
it perfumes and flavors the sugar. Also lovely to use over fresh fruit in
season.
Combine crumbs, butter and 2 tbsp sugar; press into bottom and sides of
greased 8″ springform pan, reserving about 1/4 cup of mixture for topping.
Beat egg yolks well; gradually, beat in 1/4 cup vanilla sugar, cream
cheese, 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice and lemon rind. Beat egg whites until stiff
but not dry; fold into cream mixture. Stir in raisins or currants. Pile
mixture into crust. Bake in preheated 300 degree oven for 50 minutes or
until filling begins to brown on top. Whip cream, add remaining lemon juice
to sour it. Or use sour cream. Add remaining vanilla sugar to cream. Spoon
mixture over top; scatter remaining crumbs over that. Bake 5 to 10 minutes
longer. Chill well until serving time. Makes one 8″ cake.
From
Yields
8 Servings