White Chocolate Fried Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Cheesecake:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
• 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1-1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1-1/2 Tbsp flour
• 1-1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 8 oz white chocolate, melted

Blueberry Sauce:

• 2 (6-oz) containers fresh blueberries
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 cup apple juice
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• Zest of 1 lemon

Deep-Fry Batter:

• 4 cups self-rising cake flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar, plus 1 tsp
• 2-1/2 cups water
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 whole eggs

Preparation:

• To prepare the cheesecake, start by preheating the oven to 325°F. In a bowl, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and 3 Tbsp melted butter. Evenly press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9" springform pan lined with aluminum foil, about 2-1/2" up the sides of the pan.



• Add 1/4 cup butter, cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta, flour, and cornstarch into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping the sides once or twice. Put in the eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice and process until combined. With the food processor running on low, slowly stream in the white chocolate.



• Scrape the batter evenly on top of the graham crackers in the springform pan, then place the cheesecake in a large roasting pan. Put it into the oven and pour water into the roasting pan until it comes up the side of the cheesecake, about 1".



• Bake the cheesecake for about 70 minutes–the middle should jiggle slightly when lightly shaken. Remove from the oven and carefully run a paring knife around the edge of the cheesecake. Let the dessert come to room temperature in the water bath, then remove from the springform pan and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.



• To prepare the blueberry sauce, place the blueberries, lemon juice, apple juice, and cinnamon into a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the zest. Carefully place the sauce into a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. Let cool or refrigerate overnight.



• To prepare the deep-fry batter, combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Mix together the water, egg yolks, and eggs in a separate bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined (don't overmix; you can have a few small lumps).



• To fry and assemble, start by preheating a deep fryer with the basket down in oil or a Dutch oven filled 2/3 of the way with oil to 375°F.



• Put flour into a shallow bowl. Slice the cold cheesecake into 16 slices. Working in batches and keeping cheesecake cold, take 3-4 slices and carefully dredge in the flour and place in the deep-fry batter.



• With a fork, carefully turn each slice until it's covered with batter. Remove from the batter, letting excess batter drip off. Place the slices into the deep fryer for about 2 minutes. Remove and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Repeat the process with the remaining cheesecake slices.



• Place each portion on a plate and drizzle the blueberry sauce over the top.