Cheesecake
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9″ springform pan, line with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl combine the graham cracker powder, turbinado sugar, ½ tsp salt and butter. Stir until well combined and the texture is similar to damp sand. Pour into the 9″ springform pan and use a flat cup to evenly press the mixture into the base and up the sides. Bake for 10 minutes then remove and cool completely.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, ½ tsp. salt and lemon zest. Using your hands, massage the zest into the sugar mixture so that the essential oils are released and the flavor is infused.
4. In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the cream cheese and lemon sugar mixture for 3 minutes.
5. Slowly add in one egg at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Be sure to scrape down the sides with a spatula as you go. Once all eggs are incorporated, add the sour cream, vanilla paste or extract, and lemon juice. Mix on medium high speed for another 2-3 minutes or until everything is thoroughly combined.
6. Pour the mixture into the cooled graham cracker crust and bake in a water bath for approximately 65 minutes or until the center is almost set but still slightly jiggly when you shake the pan. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the water bath for 30 minutes. Then, remove from the water bath and cool completely at room temperature before refrigerating for a minimum of 4 hours. I personally recommend allowing the cheesecake to chill in the fridge overnight.
7. Top with the homemade blueberry compote and enjoy!
Blueberry Compote
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine all of the ingredients (blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla paste or extract) and bring to a low simmer.
2. Reduce the heat to a low-medium simmer and allow it to cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove from heat and let cool completely before using it to top the cheesecake.
* Note: You can pour it overtop of the whole cheesecake before serving or overtop of individual slices.
