Mascarpone Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

The creamiest Mascarpone Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Crust-Heaven on earth!

The creamiest Mascarpone Cheesecake with a Gingersnap Crust-Heaven on earth!

I'm not going to lie, I've never been a cheesecake fan. I would choose a chocolate dessert over a cheesecake any day. It wasn't until I had the lightest whipped cheesecake at a restaurant in New Orleans when I realized I could in fact become a cheesecake fan.

I wanted to recreate this delicious dessert but with a twist. Mascarpone cheese is one of my favorite ingredients and I knew it would turn a dense cheesecake into a dream. When creaming together mascarpone cheese and cream cheese, magic happens.

Gingersnaps are the perfect holiday cookie and I have always wanted to turn them into a crust. Flavored with molasses, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and brown sugar, this crust is the perfect addition to the cheesecake. Simply buy store-bought gingersnap cookies and grind them in a food processor or smash them in a large ziplock bag with a rolling pin until they are finely ground.

A springform pan is a must when it comes to cheesecakes!

Tips and Tricks:

1. How to prevent a soggy crust: The first time I made cheesecake, I wrapped the pan 100 times in aluminum foil so water wouldn't get in and make the crust soggy. Guess what happened? Water got in and made the crust soggy! After some serious research, I found the perfect solution to this problem... Slow cooker liners. Yes, you heard me correctly. These slow cooker liners prevent water from getting into the crust.

2. How to prevent lumps: Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Leave the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese and eggs out for a few hours before making the cheesecake and it will ensure a super smooth batter.

3. How to tell when the cheesecake is done baking: There should be a 2-3 inch wobbly spot in the center of the cheesecake and the edges will be slightly puffed up. It will jiggle when you move it around but it will finish setting once it cools completely. NEVER bake a cheesecake until it is completely set.

4. How to prevent a cracked surface: There are several ways to prevent this dreaded situation.

   1. Avoid opening the oven while the cake is baking. Temperature changes can cause large cracks.

   2. Over-baking!

   3. When the cheesecake is done baking, turn the oven off and crack open the oven door. Leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour to cool. Once it is completely cooled to room temperature, wrap the whole pan in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 5-8 hours or overnight.

   4. If it is still cracked on top, just cover it up with whipped cream or a fruity sauce :)

   5. How to remove cheesecake from pan: It is very important that you chill the cheesecake for at least 5 hours or overnight before removing it from the pan. I did a little test and tried to remove it before chilling it properly and it cracked... When ready to remove it from the pan, run a sharp knife around the edges to loosen the grip and then gently undo the springform pan to remove it. Place the cheesecake on a cake plate and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.This is a more time consuming recipe but it is a labor of LOVE. I hope you make this cheesecake and share it with the ones you love!

Happy baking!

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Mascarpone Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

Yield: 1 large cheesecake

Author: Elisabeth & Butter

prep time: 1 hourcook time: 1 H & 15 Mtotal time: 2 H & 15 M

ingredients:

For the Crust

• 1 & 1/2 cups finely ground gingersnap crumbs
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons salted butter, melted

For the Cheesecake

• 2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 2 (8 oz.) containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• Honey and fresh figs for topping

instructions:

How to cook Mascarpone Cheesecake with Gingersnap Crust

For the Crust

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with heavy duty aluminum foil. Wrap 3 times about 3 inches up, making sure to leave no cracks or spaces. Also spray the inside of the pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
2. Using a food processor or a ziplock bag, grind the gingersnap cookies down into fine crumbs. If using a ziplock bag, place gingersnaps inside and smash with a rolling pin for several minutes until it becomes fine crumbs.
3. Combine the gingersnap crumbs, sugar and melted butter in a bowl and press into the bottom of the springform pan (not up the sides).
4. Bake the crust for 10 minutes then let it cool completely.

For the Cheesecake

1. Bring the temperature in the oven down to 325 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl fitted with a paddle attachment or using a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, softened mascarpone cheese and granulated sugar together for 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl in between. Beat until smooth. Add the salt, lemon juice and vanilla extract and beat again. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
3. Pour this mixture over the cooled crust and smooth out with a rubber spatula. Place the lined springform pan into a slow cooker liner to prevent water from entering the pan and place into a large roasting pan or large skillet. Pour very HOT water into the pan, being careful not to get it into the slow cooker liner or aluminum foil, until it is halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
4. Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until you gently shake it and it is set on the sides but still jiggles in the center (try not to open the oven door while it’s baking). You don’t want it to be completely set or that means it’s over-baked. Turn oven off and crack the door open to let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 1 hour (this prevents cracking).
5. Gently remove from oven, carefully remove the layers of foil and let cool for 2 hours on a cooling rack. Chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 5-8 hours or up to 2 days. Do not remove the cheesecake from the springform pan until it has properly chilled or it will crack.
6. Once it has been properly chilled, run a sharp knife around the edges of the cheesecake and remove it from the springform pan. Drizzle honey and place cut fresh figs on top for a beautiful presentation. Enjoy!

NOTES:

You can also add fresh berries, a fruit sauce or caramel to the top of the cheesecake!

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