This following lemon cheesecake is gluten free, fresh and easy to make. It’s made of pistachio meringue crust filled with lemon and ricotta cheesecake mousse and topped with white chocolate frosting. It’s so delicious and perfect for Shavuot.
Pistachio and lemon combine just perfectly and this cheesecake is the proof. Whenever I make it EVERYONE asks for the recipe – simply because it’s just so good. The pistachio crust makes it more unique than a regular graham cracker crust, and the lemon cheesecake filling is a melt-in-your-mouth cloud-like texture treat.
Photo: Natalie Levin
Pistachio Lemon Cheesecake
For pistachio dacquoise:
- 50 grams (5 tbsp.) sugar powder
- 60 grams (2/3 cup) pistachios
- 2 large egg whites
- 20 grams (2 tbsp.) sugar
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
For lemon cheesecake filling:
- 10 grams (2 tsp.) gelatin powder
- 50 ml. (3 tbsp. + 1 tsp.) cold water
- 500 grams (2 cups) ricotta cheese
- 200 ml. (1 cup) sour cream
- 150 grams (1 cup + 3 tbsp.) sugar powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 500 ml. (2 cups) cold heavy cream
For the topping:
- 150 grams chopped white chocolate
- 50 ml. (3 tbsp. + 1 tsp.) heavy cream
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 20 grams (1 tbsp.) soft butter
Decoration:
- 30-40 grams roasted chopped pistachios
- Pistachio dacquoise: preheat
- oven to 170c degrees and line your cake pan with baking paper.
- In a food processor with a steel blade put sugar powder and pistachios and grind to fine powder.
- In a mixer bowl with whipping-attachment whip egg whites on high speen until white foam begins to form.
- Continue whipping while gradually adding the sugar and vanilla, and whip for about 3-5 minutes until a stable glossy meringue forms.
- Add in the pistachio and sugar powder and fold gently with a spatula until blended.
- Pour the mixture into the pan, flatten to an even layer and bake for 18-22 minutes, until golden brown.
- Cool cake completely at room temperature.
- Lemon cheesecake filling: in a small bowl mix gelatin and water. Set aside for 10-15 minutes, until the gelatin absorbs liquid.
- In a medium bowl, whisk ricotta cheese, sour cream, sugar powder, vanilla and lemon zest into a smooth mixture.
- Dissolve the gelatin in the microwave until completely melted. Add about 3-4 tablespoons of the cheese mixture into the dissolved gelatin and beat well.
- Strain the mixture and add into the remaining cheese mixture while whisking until incorporated.
- Whip the cream to soft peaks, and gently fold into the cheese mixture until a smooth mousse forms.
- Pour the lemon cheesecake filling over the pistachio crust and smooth the top.
- Cool the cake for at least 4-5 hours in the freezer, well wrapped, until frozen.
- Topping: in a small bowl put white chocolate and cream and melt in the microwave or over double-boiler until smooth and shiny ganache forms.
- Add in lemon juice and soft butter and whisk until blended.
- Pour the ganache over the cake and flatten evenly.
- Extract the cake from the pan and garnish with pistachios.
- Keep the lemon cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days.
- You can freeze the cake for 2 weeks.