Fountainbleau Cheesecake

Here is the recipe for the cheesecake. The only thing changed was adding a shortbread crust. The original recipe (below) does not have a crust.


Ingredients:
2 lbs cream cheese (preferably Philadelphia brand), at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Juice and grated zest of 1 large or 1 1/2 small lemons


Preheat the oven to 425 F. Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan.
Beat the cream cheese in a mixer at medium speed until light an fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and beat until it is completely incorporated. Beat in the eggs, one by one, scraping the bowl after each addition, waiting until one egg is completely incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the half-and-half in a thin stream, followed by the vanilla, then the lemon juice, and lemon zest.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Wrap a single piece of aluminum foil around the outside, bottom, and side of pan. Place the pan in a roasting pan. Add enough very hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Place the roasting pan in the oven and reduce the heat to 350 F.
Bake the cheesecake until the top puffs like a souffle, about 40 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes. Leave the oven on.
Return the cheesecake to the oven and bake until set and slightly puffed, about 20 minutes more. Jiggling should be minimal. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the cheesecake until completely cold, at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
Dip a sharp slender knife in hot water and run it around the inside edge of the springform pan. Unmold the cheesecake. Cut it into wedges for serving, using a sharp slender knife or dental floss stretched between your hands. (If using the former, wipe if off and dip it in hot water between slices.)