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Word has it that among milks from various goats, milk from Nigerian dwarf goats tastes the most like the more-familiar cows’ milk. The goat cheese used for this recipe was a deliciously mild, semi-hard cheese.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1½ cups low-fat graham cracker crumbs
- 1 T. sugar
- 5 T. butter, melted
Filling
- 16 ounces American Neufchâtel cheese
- 1½ cups shredded/crumbled mild goat cheese
- 2 T. fresh lemon juice
- 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
- 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 4 eggs
Preparation
Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Mix with a fork until well combined. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until crust is golden. Set aside to cool.
Filling
Combine cheeses, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla in a large bowl, and mix well with an electric mixer. Add sugar, about a third at a time, beating well after each addition. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each is added. Beat mixture until smooth. Pour into prepared crust and bake 50 to 60 minutes, until edges look set and golden and cake begins to pull away from sides of pan. (Center should still be soft.) Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight.
Serves 8.
Tip: For a little extra oomph, drizzle with caramel, and sprinkle fruits and nuts on top.
