Mascarpone Cheesecake

I had some leftover mascarpone cheese I needed to use up and this recipe seemed a good way to clean out my fridge.  The recipe was adapted from Epicurious.com
I used graham wafers instead of vanilla wafers and substituted coconut oil for the butter in the crust.  I also left out the topping because I did not think we needed it. You can also see I did not bother with sprinkling the crumbs over the top.  We loved this cake, hope you will too.

Ingredients

For Crust
2 2/3 cups finely ground vanilla wafers
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For Filling
2 1/2 eight-ounce packages of softened cream cheese
1 cup mascarpone cheese at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon fresh vanilla juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

For Topping
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt


Directions

Make Crust
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter bottom and side of 9 inch springform pan

Stir together vanilla crumbs and butter in a bowl.  Reserve 1/4 cup crumb mixture for sprinkling over cheesecake, then pat remainder onto bottom and 1 1/2 inches up side of springform pan.  Put pan in a shallow baking pan and bake until golden, about 10 minutes.  Cool completely on a rack, about 25 minutes.

Make filling while crust bakes
Beat cream cheese, mascarpone and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium high speed until fluffy.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla, lemon juice and salt and mix at low speed until combined.  Pour into cooled crust and bake until cake is set and puffed around the edge but still trembles slightly when pan is shaken, 25-30 minutes.  Cool slightly in springform pan on rack, about 20 minutes.  The cheesecake will continue to set as it cools.

Make Topping
Stir together sour cream, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl and spoon over cheesecake, spreading gently and evenly, leaving a 1/4 inch border around the edge.

Bake cheesecake until topping is set, about 10 minutes.  Run a thin knife around the edge to help prevent cracking.  Sprinkle top with reserved crumbs and cool completely in pan on rack, then chill loosely covered at least 8 hours.

This cake can be chilled loosely covered for up to 3 days.  Cut the cake with a long this sharpknife dipped in hot water.