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I was watching Giada (De Laurentis) on Food Network today, and she made a Sweet Basil Cheesecake.  I don't know about you, but I've got more basil growing in my herb garden and in pots in the house, this year, than I can ever use up.  So this recipe interested me.  Another way to use basil!  

I made changes in her recipe, because of what I had in the house.  I've noted them below. And my version was delicious.  I served it tonight with baked salmon, salad, and corn on the cob, and my non-gf husband was delighted. The basil and low sugar made it feel acceptable to have a dessert. Normally, we don't.

Prep Time: 15 minutes, Level: easy.
Inactive Prep Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes at 350 degrees.
Serves 4

Ingredients
Butter for greasing the small 4 and 1 / 2 inch spring form pan.        I skipped the butter. And all I had was a six inch spring form pan, so I used that.
1 / 2 cup or 4 ounces of ricotta cheese, at room temp.         I used  closer to 3 / 4  cup...but used low fat cottage cheese, straight from the frig.  (Several heaping tbs.)
1 /  3 cup goat cheese at room temp.         I didn't have any, so I threw in a couple of heaping tbs of  the low fat cottage cheese.
1 / 2 cup cream cheese, at room temp..        I used 8 ounces brick of neufchatel..lower in fat than cream cheese, straight from the frig.

1 tbs sugar.      	The only sugar I had was in packets..I think they're a tsp each.  I used six, which is more than a tbs.

She calls for 1 large egg and 1 large yolk at room temp.  		 I used two large eggs, straight from the frig.

Pinch of sea salt.   	I omitted the salt, and I added the juice of 1 / 4 lemon...maybe it was a tbs.

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil for serving..       I skipped this.
Serve with crackers.    			(We just used forks!)

You'll also need a glass baking dish (8  x 8 is best) that is bigger than your spring form pan and about 2  inches tall.  

Place oven rack in center of oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
Butter the pan and line with a circle of parchment paper.  (I did use parchment.)
Wrap the outside of the pan with a heavy-duty foil, to keep the water out.  

Place the cheeses in a food processor and pulse.        My processor wouldn't work, so I used my mixer.  

Add the sugar and eggs (and salt, if you're using it, and lemon juice, if you're using it)

Chop up about 1 / 2 cup fresh basil leaves and pulse until incorporated .    (stir  till evening mixed.)

Place the pan in an 8 by 8 inch square baking dish.  Pour hot water in the baking dish to come up halfway up the sides of the outside of the spring form pan.  Bake until golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken. (the cheesecake will become firm when chilled), about 50 minutes.  Turn off oven and allow cheesecake to cool in the oven for one hour.  Remove the springform pan from the baking dish and remove the foil.  Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.  Remove the cake from pan and serve at room temperature.       (Mine set in less than 3 hours, and we ate it straight from frig.)

Giada says to brush the top of the cheesecake with extra virgin olive oil and serve with assorted crackers.  While I liked it with the basil,  I couldn't bring myself to put olive oil on a cheesecake, so I skipped it.  And we skipped the crackers.  A fork will do.  




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