LEMON BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE (NO-BAKE)

PREP TIME	YIELD	TOTAL TIME
4 HOURS 25 MINUTES	9.5-INCH	4 HOURS 40 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

CRUST:

•  1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (7-8 ounces, 13-14 rectangles)
•  1 tablespoon brown sugar
•  8 tablespoons (1/2 cup, 4 ounces) butter, melted

LEMON CHEESECAKE:

•  12 ounces cream cheese, softened
•  1/2 cup (2 ounces) powdered sugar
•  Zest of 1 lemon (about a tablespoon)
•  3/4 cup (6 ounces) sour cream
•  1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
•  6 ounces white baking/bar chocolate, melted and cooled slightly (see note about using white chocolate chips)
•  1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, well chilled

BLUEBERRY TOPPING:

•  3/4 cup water
•  1/4 cup granulated sugar (or more if you want it sweeter)
•  2 tablespoons cornstarch
•  2 cups (12 ounces) fresh blueberries
•  2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. For the crust: preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter until well mixed. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a deep 9.5-inch pie plate (see note). Bake for 8-10 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.
2. For the cheesecake: in a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), mix together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy, 1-2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the sour cream and lemon juice; mix until well-combined, 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the melted and cooled white chocolate and whip until creamy and thick. If the batter is at all warm from adding the white chocolate, refrigerate until chilled so the whipping cream will thicken properly (probably not necessary if the white chocolate was cooled for enough time).
4. Add the chilled heavy cream and mix until very thick and creamy, 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Spread the cheesecake filling evenly in the cooled crust. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to let the filling chill and set up (or up to 24 hours).
5. For the blueberry topping: in a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, cornstarch, blueberries and lemon juice. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, 4-5 minutes (you can continue letting it cook longer if you want the blueberries to break down a bit more). Remove from the heat, scrape the mixture into a bowl, press plastic wrap directly on the surface, and let it cool to room temperature (see note for make-ahead options).
6. Serve slices of cheesecake with a dollop of blueberry topping OR spread the blueberry topping evenly over the entire cheesecake (you can do this several hours in advance and chill ahead of time) and cut pieces to serve.

NOTES

Pie Plate: I've only ever made this cheesecake in a 9.5-inch pie plate which is a little deeper and obviously wider than a 9-inch pie plate. If you don't have this size of pie plate, you can try heaping the filling in a 9-inch pie plate or using an 8X8- or 9X9-inch square baking pan (a little harder to scoop out of this type of pan, but definitely a doable solution). 

Heavy Cream: I don't whip the heavy cream separately and then fold into the cheesecake filling - I add the heavy cream straight from the fridge into the cheesecake filling, and whip it right into the batter until it is thick and ethereally creamy. It is important to use heavy whipping cream, not just whipping cream, and make sure it is well-chilled before using.

Make-Ahead: the blueberry topping can be made ahead of time and refrigerated - but I prefer making it the day of because it thickens and jells (like jam) if it is refrigerated. This isn't necessarily a problem, but when I do this, I like to take it out of the refrigerator and warm it just slightly over low heat so it is easily spoonable over the cheesecake.

Blueberry Swirl: to get a blueberry swirl on top of the cheesecake (I don't always do this, but it certainly is pretty, even if it will eventually be covered up with more blueberries), I spoon out part of the glaze while it is slightly warm (no blueberries, just glaze) and drizzle it over the top of the cheesecake. Then, I take a knife and swirl it back and forth until it feels appropriately artistic. 

White Chocolate: I've mentioned this plenty of times before, but white chocolate chips don't melt well and may cause you to curse my name and say very bad words as they seize up and clump. I've only ever had slightly good luck with the Guittard brand of white chocolate chips, and even then, it was a little sketchy. I highly recommend using white baking/bar chocolate (like the Ghirardelli brand; it is easily available in the chocolate chip aisle of the grocery stores near me); this is NOT the same as almond bark or candy coating, which may result in a sweeter, more fake-tasting cheesecake. Melt the white chocolate on 50% power in a microwave-safe bowl for 1-minute intervals, stirring in between until just melted. Don't overheat! Let the mixture cool until just slightly warm or at room temperature (but don't let it cool so much that it sets up again into a hardened mass).