Lemon Swirl Cheesecake Recipe

Directions:

1. For Crust:.
2. Position rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Finely grind graham crackers( if using these instead of the crumbs) in food processor. Add nuts and process until coarsely chopped.
3. Add butter and lemon peel; blend just until crumbs are moist.
4. Press crumbs firmly onto bottom ONLY of a 9 inch diameter springform pan.
5. Bake until crust is set, about 10 minutes.
6. Cool crust and maintain oven temperature.
7. For filling:.
8. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, lemonade concentrate and lemon peel in large bowl until smooth. Beat in 3/4 cup sour cream.
9. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined.
10. Pour filling into crust and bake until the center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes.
11. Transfer cake to rack and cool 5 minutes.
12. Meanwhile for topping: Whisk 1 cup sour cream in small bowl until smooth. Whisk lemon curd in small bowl until smooth.
13. Run a sharp knife around sides of cake.
14. Starting at outside edge of cake, spoon small alternating dollops of sour cream and lemon curd side by side in concentric circles atop warm cake, covering cake completely.
15. Gently shake pan to smooth out toppings.
16. Using tip of knife, gently swirl toppings, forming a marbled design.
17. Chill cake uncovered overnight.
18. Beat whipping cream with 2 T. confectioner's sugar( I like to add about 1/2 t. unflavored gelatin to the whipping cream to keep it from separating)until stiff peaks form.
19. Pipe cream in a decorative pattern around the edge of cake( I just use a spoon to arrange dollops of whipped cream around the edge) and garnish with lemon wedges and mint leaves.
20. *NOTE: The last time I made this I omited the sour cream topping and just smoothed the lemon curd over the entire cake top, using about 2 cups of lemon curd. Then I decorated the edge of the cake with the whipped cream and lemon slices/mint leaves.).