Incredible Cheesecake (healthy (ish) Version Too)

Total Time: 3 hrs 5 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
• 4 (8 ounce) packages light cream cheese or 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 4 eggs, room temperature
• 1/3 cup fat free greek yogurt (drained for several hours in a coffee filter, or in paper towel covering a strainer)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 small lemon, finely zested

Recipe

• 1 crust: process ingredients in food processor until smooth.
• 2 remove the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. line it with a large piece of tin foil, folding the edges under so that they do not interfere. replace the bottom of the spring form pan into the hoop and lock into place.
• 3 carefully uncurl the tin foil from the bottom and bring it up around the edges of ring, crumpling at the top to create a water tight seal.
• 4 spray the tinfoil-lined pan with cooking spray, and dust with sugar. this will prevent the cheesecake from sticking.
• 5 press crust into the tinfoil-lined greased pan and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until edges feel firm and dry.
• 6 set aside until cool.
• 7 cheesecake: pre-heat oven to 500 degrees.
• 8 set oven to middle rack and slide into it a large roasting pan. fill the bottom of the pan with boiling water and allow to heat with the oven to create a little steam.
• 9 boil additional water.
• 10 evenly distribute the cream cheese in the food processor and process. slowly add sugar and process until smooth.
• 11 add eggs one at a time, scrapping down the sides between each addition if necessary.
• 12 hand mix in the strained greek yogurt, vanilla, and lemon zest, then pulse until combined.
• 13 pour the batter into the cooled prepared crust, and shake and tap the pan to get out any air bubbles.
• 14 place into the middle of the roasting pan and add enough additional boiling water to come up a little more than half way up the sides. bake at 500 degrees for 12 minutes.
• 15 open the oven door and reduce the temperature to 200 degrees. keep the oven door open for a few minutes until it cools slightly.
• 16 close the oven door and bake without opening for 1 hour.
• 17 the cheesecake will look done at this point and be jiggly in the center. to prevent cracks, run a thin knife between the edge of the cheesecake and the pan. close the door and bake for another hour to 75 minutes or until the whole cheesecake moves in a slightly rubbery way when gently shaken.
• 18 bring the temperature up to 350 and bake until the top is golden and puffed (didn't actually happen for me, i just did it for a few minutes).
• 19 remove to a wire rack and cool, tearing away the tinfoil to allow heat to escape.
• 20 chill in the refrigerator over night. do not be tempted to cut into it right away.