Lemon Cheesecake with White Chocolate Ganache

Saturdays are beautiful days. I love waking up and feeling absolutely free for a whole day. Now that it's finally spring here in Provo, we can actually do fun outside-y stuff. Yesterday I woke up and went for a hike up rock canyon. It's an amazing view of most of the valley (did I mention I got a horrible sunburn?)

After one of the busiest weeks of my life, I finally had the Saturday that I needed. This week I planned the Relief Society birthday party, for which I baked 216 cupcakes and made enough buttercream frosting for all of those.

But it was so fun to plan!

Balloons are the happiest things on earth. 

Anyway, when I got home after getting all sunburned at Rock Canyon, I was really craving more lemon. I had a bunch of cream cheese to use, so...

Lemon Cheesecake 

1 9-inch cheesecake

1 1/2 cups gingersnaps, smashed to smithereens

3 tbsp sugar

5 tbsp butter, melted

4-5 8 oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

zest of 1 lemon

1. Mix the crushed gingersnaps, sugar, and butter together until all the gingersnaps are moistened (I used my pastry cutter). Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan and bake at 325 for 10 minutes. 

2. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat between each. Add the sour cream and beat. Add the vanilla, lemon juice, and zest. Beat. 

3. Pour it into the crust and bake for approximately 1 hour at 325 degrees fahrenheit. Bake with a pan of water on a rack below the cheesecake. 

4. When it's done, it will be jiggly all over and more jiggly in the middle. Don't remove it from the oven-- crack the oven and turn it off. Keep it open for about 10 minutes, then close for about 30. Do this twice. 

5. Refrigerate for about 4 hours. 

Doesn't it look so pretty?

White Chocolate Ganache

1 cup white chocolate 

1/2 cup heavy cream

Microwave heavy cream until it's really hot and pour it on top of the white chocolate. Whisk it until all the chocolate is melted. Pour it on top of the lemon cheesecake. 

Top with whipped cream and lemon wedges!

Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake

It finally got warm here! Spring has arrived! After months and months of freezing snowy weather, it got warm! Happy day!

Lemon is obviously the best way invite spring back. 

I had been craving blueberries and lemon, so I decided to make a moist lemon-blueberry pound cake. 

What I thought of when I made this was the time I discovered lemon zest. I was using recipe that called for lemon zest. I asked my dad what that meant and he said, "It's the outside of the lemon grated." 

I didn't understand. Why would anyone want to eat the peel? Isn't that like eating a banana peel?

I was disgusted.

BUT... I have learned to really love lemon zest. It adds texture and taste to lemony recipes that can't be created any other way! So, I encourage you to leave the lemon zest in this recipe! Don't skip out on it!

Lemon-Blueberry Pound Cake 

Yields: 1 loaf

1 1/3 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 stick of butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 eggs
1/2 sour cream
2 tbsp milk
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup blueberries

1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Grease and lightly flour a 9x5 or 8x4 loaf pan.

2. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. In a separate medium bowl, cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest for about 4 minutes on a high speed until it's light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for about 30 seconds after each egg.

3. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream and milk. To the butter mixture, add the flour and the sour cream mixtures, alternating between the two while mixing. Add the lemon juice and beat for 1 minute so it's well incorporated.

4. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes for an 8x4 or 45-50 minutes for a 9x5.

5. Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice and glaze over the pound cake when it's still warm.

6. Enjoy!

Bon appétit!