Giada's Limoncello Cheesecake Squares

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Ingredients

• nonstick cooking spray
• 8 ounces purchased biscotti
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
• 1 (12 ounce) container fresh whole milk ricotta cheese, drained, at room temperature
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup limoncello
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. spray the bottom of a 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• 2 finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and process until the crumbs are moistened.
• 3 press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan.
• 4 bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.
• 5 blend the ricotta in a clean food processor until smooth. add the cream cheese and sugar and blend well, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping down the sides of the work bowl.
• 6 blend in the limoncello, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. add the eggs one at a time, and pulse just until blended. scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• 7 pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. place the baking pan in a large roasting pan. pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan.
• 8 bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (the cake will become firm when it is cold).
• 9 transfer the cake to a rack; cool 1 hour. refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. cut the cake into squares and serve.