Cheesecake With Fresh Figs

You may think this is an impossible Cheesecake to make due to the fact it is made with fresh goat cheese, but it is beyond delicious.

• 1 cup finely grated gingersnap cookies
• 2 tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 pkgs. Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup soft, fresh goat cheese
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• pinch of salt
• 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 6-8 fresh figs, sliced in half, lengthwise

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray an 8 inch springform pan with nonstick Pam. Combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs, butter and cinnamon together and press into the bottom of the pan.

In a bowl of your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and goat cheese together until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the sugar, sour cream, lime juice, vanilla and salt and combine until really well mixed. Add the whole egg and yolk and beat to combine. Sift the flour into the mixture and mix only to combine.

Scrape the mixture into the pan and bake for one hour. When the cake is done, it will look set but still a slight wiggle in the centre. The surface will not be tacky when touched.

Allow to cool down for 30 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan but leave the bottom on. Refrigerate 4 hours ( or overnight). It may crack while cooling but that is okay. I always put a pan of water in the bottom of the oven while baking and this eliminates the cracking. Just let cool down in the oven as well.

When ready to serve, cut into 12 slices, and make sure you run the knife under hot water after each cut. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a half of the fig on top.

Add a lovely dessert wine and enjoy. The conversation will be endless and that is what entertaining is all about.

Yum!