Ingredients

Makes one 8-inch square cake

　　Unsalted butter, at room temperature, for the pan

　　1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

　　1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

　　3 large eggs

　　1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

　　16 Poached Apricot Halves (page 443)

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter an 8-inch-square baking pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper; set the pan aside.

　　

Step 2

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating until each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Beat in the lemon juice.

　　

Step 3

Fill the prepared pan with the cream cheese mixture. Smooth the top with a spatula. Place the pan in a larger baking pan, and transfer to the oven. Pour enough hot water into the larger baking pan to come halfway up the sides of the smaller pan. Bake until the cake is just set in the center and lightly browned on top, about 35 minutes.

　　

Step 4

Transfer the cheesecake from the water bath to a wire rack. While cake is slightly warm, after about 30 minutes (it will be harder to unmold once cake has cooled longer), invert onto a platter. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

　　

Step 5

To serve, arrange poached apricot halves, cut side down, on top of the cheesecake, allowing the juice to pool on the surface and drizzle down the edges.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.