Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake Recipe without Emulsifiers

This recipe is adapted from the New York Style Cheesecake recipe on Dr. Davis's site. Despite some kind members there recommending gum-free brands of cream cheese and even cultures to make your own, there's no acceptable cream cheese sold near me, and using ricotta cheese is less trouble than adding another fermentation project. 

Using ricotta gives the cheesecake a fluffy texture and adding lemon extract gives it more flavor. I used Simple Truth ricotta (Kroger's organic store brand), which didn't need to be drained since it wasn't runny. 

The net carb count of Dr. Davis's recipe is 4.7g per slice (assuming 8 servings); that figure should hold true for this recipe, also.

Crust

1½ cups almond flour 

1½ teaspoon cinnamon 

½ cup Splenda
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons pastured lard 
1 egg 

1½ teaspoon vanilla extract


Filling

16 ounces ricotta cheese (with no emulsifiers or gums)
1 cup sour cream
½ cup Splenda

1 dash salt 

3 eggs
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1½ teaspoons dried lemon peel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

½ teaspoons lemon extract

Directions

Mix almond flour, cinnamon, and sweetener in mixing bowl.

Melt butter and add to mix, followed by lard, egg and vanilla extract.

Mix thoroughly. Press crumb mixture into 10" pie pan, covering bottom and working up sides.

Pre-heat oven to 325° F.

Mix ricotta cheese, sour cream, sweetener and salt into mixing bowl.
 Blend at low speed.

Add eggs, lemon juice, lemon peel, vanilla extract and lemon extract and blend together, then blend at medium speed for 1 additional minute.

Pour batter into crust; bake for 50 minutes.


Remove from oven and cool.