Creamy Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

30 vanilla wafer cookies
4 tablespoons butter
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
15 ounces ricotta cheese
4 large eggs
2 cups half and half
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla

In food processor with knife blade attached or in blender at medium speed, blend vanilla wafers until fine crumbs form (makes about 1cup crumbs).

Preheat oven to 375�F.

In small saucepan, melt butter over low heat; stir in 1 tsp lemon peel. In a 9" by 3" springform pan, with a fork, stir wafer crumbs and melted butter mixture until moistened. With hand, press mixture firmly onto the bottom of the pan. Bake crust 10 minutes. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 30 minutes. Wrap outside of pan with foil.

Turn oven to 325�F. In cup, combine sugar and cornstarch until blended.

In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese and ricotta cheese until smooth, about 5 minutes; slowly beat in sugar mixture.

At low speed, beat in eggs, half-and-half, lemon juice, vanilla, and remaining 3 tsp lemon peel just until blended, scraping bowl often with a rubber spatula. Pour cream-cheese mixture onto crust.

Bake cheesecake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake remain in oven 1 hour longer. Remove cheesecake from oven and cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Cover and refrigerate cheesecake at least 6 hours or overnight until well chilled. Remove side of pan to serve.

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