Peach and Ginger Cheesecake

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Do you have ever an idea pop into your head and you’re not sure how it got there?  This cheesecake is that for me.  One day, I just thought I want a cheesecake with a ginger snap crust and peaches involved somehow.  I ruminated on it, trying to figure out how to incorporate the peach and what would be in the filling and this cheesecake is the result.  It’s pretty dang tasty, if I do say so myself.

Let’s get to it!

The first order of business is making the crust.  Preheat your oven and put your ginger snap cookies in a food processor.

Blend until most of them are in crumbs, a few big cookies chunks is fine.  Now add the almond meal, brown sugar and melted butter.

Then blend in the food processor until is all starts to clump together.

I like to put a disc of parchment paper down first, so that I can more easily get the cheesecake off the metal disc of the springform pan later.

Pour that mixture into your springform pan and press it firmly into the pan so it’s nice and compressed.

Now bake that for ten minutes.  This will help the crust stay crunchy.  Let that cool while you start on the cheesecake filling and crank the heat up on your oven.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat your cream cheese for a couple of minutes to get it nice and smooth.

Now add half the sugar and beat another minute.  Next, add the rest of the sugar, sour cream, the lemon zest, and the vanilla bean seeds.  The vanilla bean adds a really nice vanilla flavor and I like that you can see them in the cheesecake so people know it’s vanilla.

Mix until it’s all combined.  Now add your eggs (and yolks) two at a time, beating until they are all mixed in.  Scrape down the sides of your bowl with a rubber spatula and blend once more just to get out any large clumps of cream cheese (a few small clumps is fine).

Before pouring the filling into your pan, I recommend covering the outside with foil.  I’ve never had any problems in the past, but I’m always a little paranoid that my springform pan will spring a leak.  The last think you want is cheesecake mixture crusted on to the bottom of your oven, gross!

Now pour in your cheesecake mixture on top of that lovely gingersnap crust and smooth it out.

Bake for ten minutes at 500° and then turn the temp down to 200° and bake another hour and a half until it’s browned on top and mostly set in the center.

Let that cool at room temp for about two hours.  While it’s cooling, you’ll make the peach mixture.

Add the peaches, lemon juice, sugar, a pinch of salt, and ground ginger to a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat.

I added enough ginger to give it a kick.  If you don’t want that much, cut it in half and you will still be able to get the ginger flavor. Once it starts to bubble, cook another few minutes until it’s thickened.  Now let it cool to room temp.

Once both the cheesecake and the peach topping are at about room temp, pour the peaches over your cheesecake and put it in the fridge to cool for a few hours.

When you’re ready to serve, take the cheesecake out of the fridge and run a knife around the edges. Unfasten your springform pan and remove the outer ring.  I would do this on a large cutting board or plate because some of the peaches may ooze.  Now move your cheesecake from the springform pan metal bottom to whatever you’re going to serve it on.  I left the parchment paper on and was just careful when cutting it, but you can also try to remove that.

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to three days.

This cheesecake is fluffy and full of flavor.  The gingersnap crust is nice and crunchy and is perfectly balanced with the creamy lemon and vanilla filling. The peaches are soft and syrupy, almost like a jam and have that lovely kick from the ginger.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

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