Guava Cheesecake

This extraordinary cheesecake has an especially nice balance of sweet and tart flavors.

Recipe Ingredients:

Crust:
1 1/2 cups chocolate-wafer or graham-cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Filling:
1 cup guava paste
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 extra-large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Topping:
1/4 cup guava marmalade or red currant jelly

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
2. For Crust: Mix crumbs, butter and sugar; press over the bottom and up the side of the pan. Bake until almost dry, about 10 minutes. Set aside. (Leave oven on.)
3. For Filling: Heat guava paste and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking, until melted. Set aside.
4. Beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla, lemon zest and melted guava paste. Pour into crust.
5. Wrap aluminum foil around the bottom and sides of springform pan and place in a large roasting pan. Add 1 inch boiling water. Bake until the top is firm and the filling no longer jiggles when shaken, about 90 minutes. Turn off the heat, open the oven door a few inches, and let the cheesecake cool 20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cover and refrigerate cooled cheesecake at least 6 hours.
6. For Topping: Thirty minutes before serving, melt jelly with 1 tablespoon water, whisking, and gently brush on top. Chill at least 30 minutes more before serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/12 of recipe): 630 calories; 36.7 grams fat (51 percent of total calories); 69.5 grams carbohydrate; 0.6 gram fiber; 173.9 milligrams cholesterol; and 369.3 milligrams sodium.

Source: Recipe from Steven Raichlen's "Miami Spice" (Workman).