Crust:
10oz girl scouts shortbread cookies ( app 43 cookies)
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
9-12 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350. Zest lemon and finely chop. Mix with sugar .Crush cookies with a wooden spoon until finely ground. Combine in a bowl with sugar/lemon mixture. Add 9 tablespoons melted butter and mix well until crumb mixture holds together. If needed add remaining butter.
Tranfer cookie mixture to a 9 inch springfoam pan, and pat out evenly to make crust, lining sides of pan three quarters of the way up. Place in oven for 4-5 minutes until light brown. Cool. Place pan in freezer.
Filling:
12oz. cream cheese at room temp.
1 vanilla bean
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup + 3 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup heavy cream
Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape seeds into a bowl. Add sugar and rub bean into sugar with fingertips. Combine cream cheese and sugar in a mixer and beat until combined. Lightly whip cream to soft peaks and fold into cream cheese mixture. Remove crust from freezer, and pour filling evenly into pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight. Garnish cheesecake with any fruit of your liking.
COOKIE SUBSITUTIONS
If you don't have Girl Scout cookies, Chef Malika recommends these substitutions in the dessert recipes:
