4 Cheese Cheesecake

4 Cheese Cheesecake

Ingredients:
8 ounces ricotta cheese, drained
8 ounces baker cheese (can substitute Farmer's cheese, pot cheese, or cottage cheese)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, drained if wet
1/2 cup sweet unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 medium lemon, juice of
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (good quality)
3 tablespoons flour (all-purpose)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
16 ounces sour cream
1 1/2 cups very finely crushed zwieback crackers or graham cracker crumbs, approximately
topping of sliced fresh fruit or pie filling or fruit, glaze (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Thoroughly butter the bottom and sides of a 9x3-inch (12 cup) springform pan.
3. Dust pan well with fine Zwieback crumbs, pressing any remaining crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1/2 to 1 inch up the sides; set aside.
4. Sift flour and corn starch together into a small bowl or cup, and set aside.
5. In a small bowl, beat eggs and sugar together until thick and sugar is dissolved, set side.
6. Mix together ricotta and baker's cheese, place into a fine sieve and using a wooden spoon, force the cheeses through the sieve into a large bowl.
7. With mixer on medium speed, beat cheeses for about 2 minutes or until creamy.
8. Add cream cheese, and beat on low speed for about 1 minute, or until well blended.
9. Add mascarpone, and beat by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula until well blended.
10. Add melted butter, mixing by hand until well blended.
11. Add egg/sugar mixture, mixing by hand until well blended.
12. Add flour/corn starch mixture, stirring until thoroughly incorporated.
13. Add lemon juice and vanilla, stir until well blended.
14. Fold sour cream into cheesecake batter.
15. Tap bowl of batter on counter several times to get any bubbles in the batter to the top.
16. If necessary, run the spatula through the batter to break up any air bubbles.
17. Slowly pour the batter into prepared pan, lightly tap pan on counter to remove any remaining bubbles.
18. Place cheesecake on middle rack in oven and bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes.
19. Turn off oven, and let cheesecake sit undisturbed (do not open oven door), 60 minutes longer.
20. Remove from oven and continue to cool on wire rack.
21. When completely cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
22. When ready to serve, run a thin bladed knife or icing spatula between the cake and sides of pan to loosen cake from the sides.
23. Remove the side of the springform pan, leaving the cake on the pan base/bottom to serve.
24. (Optional) Cake may be topped with fresh fruit, pie filling or your favorite fruit glaze.