Limoncello Lemon Cheesecake Squares in Yosemite

The natural wonder of the Yosemite Valley has held my rapture since my dad took me there on my first visit as a child.  In the beginning I simply loved the raging of the waterfalls, but as I studied geology in college (I'm a bit of a rock geek - Geology Minor) I began to look at the Valley in a new light with an understanding of how the glaciers, rock falls and avalanches, and water have carved and eroded the Valley to its present day beauty.

Even as a wee-one I was thrilled to come home with photos of the falls, the sheer granite faces of El Capitan, and the stunning views of Half Dome.  With a stop at Tunnel View being somewhat of a tradition, I've always yearned for that dazzling clear Valley shot, you know the one... with the cerulean blue skies, perfectly lit rocks and crystal clear air.  Unfortunately Mother Nature has not been on my side and all of my visits have also included haze, fog or rain.  With spring currently shining down on us I brought high hopes for my "perfect shot" of the immense Valley on this Spring Break trip.

Leaving San Diego early Wednesday morning had us dressed warmly and driving through a chilly out of season rain storm.  Arriving at our host destination in Oakhurst (we stayed with friends about an hour outside the Valley) some 6 hours later we all felt overdressed in the 74 degree weather, and we doubted the weather guy's forecast of snow within the next 24 hours.

This weather guy, however, was right!  Some 16 hours later we were back in the car, dressed in the warmest clothes we had with us along with borrowed gloves, hats and jackets.  Heading into the Yosemite Valley for our lunch reservations at the esteemed Ahwahnee Hotel the snow covered trees flew by.  Branches heavy with a few hours of snow glistened in the sun that occasionally popped through the stormy clouds.  Moving up and down in elevation our views ranged from brilliant blooming Red Buds to more snow laden trees and vistas.  The Merced River raged alongside of us in places and meandered in others providing stunning scenery for our hour plus drive.

Lower Yosemite Falls

Dazzling vistas greeted us upon our entrance to the Valley with El Capitan soaring above our car.  Bridal Veil Falls fell gracefully over the granite walls and the snow covered meadows entertained squirrels and deer, the bears however did not show themselves.

A stop at the Yosemite Falls provided us with a rare sight in the lava-like flowing Frazil Ice.  Frazil Ice provides dramatic natural ice flows which begin in the falls of Yosemite, but only during proper weather conditions and usually only in March and April.  Our friends who have had literally hundreds of days in the Valley had never seen the incredible Frazil, but on this day we were all excited to view this rare treat.

The Ahwahnee Hotel, our lunch destination, holds beauty, history and a most perfect location in Yosemite Valley in that the site for the Ahwahnee, once a village of the native Miwoks, was chosen because of its exposure to the sun and stunning views of Yosemite's icons – Half Dome, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point.  Giant fireplaces are available for guests to warm their chilly fingers in addition to the magnificent dining room lined with floor to ceiling windows providing stunning views of the gushing Yosemite Falls.  Described as the "crown jewel of Yosemite dining", the dining room boasts a 34-foot-high beamed ceiling with large sugar pine trestles that complement the room’s granite pillars.  The exterior of the hotel was designed to reflect the natural beauty of the Valley and to blend in with its beautiful surroundings.

The Ahwahnee Hotel with a Bacon Burger and French Onion Soup

While the room is indeed magnificent, the food was "fine".  Nothing special, however I do believe it tasted just a bit better sitting in front of one of those floor to ceiling windows while watching the snow fall in front of the ravishing Yosemite Falls.  Basic restaurant fare included burgers, sandwiches, soups and salads with a few more substantial entrees including beef, lamb and pasta.  A child menu is available which happily includes ice cream.  Aggressively priced (burgers are $17), the meal is worth it simply for the view and surrounding ambiance.  Our hosts frequent the dining room often and have had what they described as incredible meals (especially breakfast) in addition to the so-so meals that we experienced on our visit.  Service was impeccable, the views were beyond belief and the room itself was breathtaking.

Snowy view from Tunnel View

Heading back out for our Valley Tour we entered lightly falling snow which lent a somewhat magical feel to our surroundings.  The trees were covered and glistening, the falls were gushing, and the fog meandered about the tops of the giant granite monoliths, hiding Half Dome from our view.  While our trip to Tunnel View provided an exquisite elevated view of the entire Valley, the cerulean blue, crystal clear skies once again eluded me, providing instead a different but no less incredible frozen wonderland.

Back home, dinner was filled with the laughter of good friends reminiscing about our day in wintery Yosemite with jabs between my kids of who threw the best snowball.  We set our faux Ugg boots by the fire to hopefully dry by morning (note:  Ugg boots are NOT waterproof!) and as we thawed out our frozen and very wet toes we enjoyed a ray of sunshine in the Limoncello Lemon Cheesecake for dessert.

Giada has once again provided a luscious finish to our meal, this one bursting with lemon flavors and with an excuse to use our freshly made Limoncello.  The addition of ricotta added a slightly different and lighter texture from the traditional all cream cheese cheesecakes and the lemon biscotti crust urged the lemon flavors even higher.  Bringing smiles all around the table, Limoncello Lemon Cheesecake was the ideal finish to our awe-inspiring day.

Limoncello Lemon Cheesecake Squares
adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Nonstick cooking spray

8 ounces purchased biscotti (we used Cooking Light's Lemon Biscotti without the glaze)

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

3 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1 (12-ounce) container fresh whole milk ricotta, drained, at room temperature

2 (8-ounce) packages lower in fat cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cups sugar (use an extra 1/4 cup for a sweeter cake)

1/2 cup limoncello liqueur

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 large eggs, at room temperature (we used 3 extra large)

Preheat the oven to 350º F.  Line a 9 by 9 by 2-inch baking pan with foil allowing the foil to lay over the edges for easy removal and spray with cooking spray.

Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.

Blend the ricotta in a clean food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese and sugar and blend well, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping down the sides of the work bowl. Blend in the limoncello, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon zest. Add the eggs 1 at a time, and pulse just until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the baking pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (the cake will become firm when it is cold).

Transfer the cake to a rack; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut the cake into squares and serve. 

Note:  we preferred the cheesecake more on the second day, this is one that I would make ahead of time and allow the flavors and textures to meld before serving!

Frazil Ice in Yosemite Creek