Lindsey’s Lemon Cheesecake

Pressure Cooker

Crust:

1 teaspoon softened butter

½ cup wafers of graham cracker crumbs

Filling

16 ounces regular cream cheese at room temperature

½ cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1-2 tablespoon grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon vanilla

Optional Garnish

Berries, Cherries, or slice fresh fruit

To prepare a foil strip to lower the cake into the cooker. Cut off a 1-1/2 foot long piece of standard width aluminum foil.  Double it twice lengthwise to create a long strip and set aside.

Grease the bottom and sides of the spring form pan with butter. Coat the sides with the crumbs and distribute the remaining crumbs on the bottom.  Using an electric mixer or food processor, blend the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Blend in the eggs, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. (Do not overwork the batter)  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Set the trivet into the pressure cooker.  Fill with water until it just reaches the trivet.  You do not want the trivet floating. The trivet is for raising the cheesecake above the water.  Center the uncovered pan on the foil strip and lower it onto the trivet.  Fold down the ends of the strip so that they don’t interfere with closing the cooker or the cheesecake.  Lock the lid in place.  Over high heat bring to high pressure or until you see the second red line.  Once you see the red line reduce the heat about medium and cook for 15 minutes.  Turn off heat.  Allow the pressure to come down naturally.  Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow steam to escape.  Let the steam subside before lifting the pan from the cooker with the aid of the foil strip.  Set on a wire rack to cool. If there is a small pool of condensed water in the middle of the cake, blot it up with a paper towel. Release and remove the rim of the spring form pan.  Serve the cheesecake on the base of the pan, with a garnish of your choice.

Tip: Don’t substitute reduced fat cream cheese; it contains more water which will prevent the cake from setting properly.  This freezes very well.  Defrost it at room temperature or in the microwave.  When you take the cheesecake out of the cooker wear oven mitts because the sides are very hot.