Cakesandfrostings - Cheesecake Apricot Cheesecake

1 Large Grated Lemon Rind
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
7 8 Oz Pkgs Cream Cheese
1 1/4 Cups Sugar
1 Pinch Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
6 Jumbo Eggs
1 Cup Sour Cream
Topping
16 Canned Apricot Halves -- DRAINED
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Apricot Preserves

ADJUST RACK TO CENTER OF OVEN,PREHEAT OVEN TO 400°. BUTTER A 13x9x2-INCH PAN.

MIX LEMON RIND AND JUICE AND SET ASIDE. IN LARGE BOWL OF ELECTRIC MIXER, AT LOW SPEED, BEAT CREAM CHEESE UNTIL SOFT AND SMOOTH. DURING BEATING, SCRAPE BOWL AS NECESSARY
WITH RUBBER SPATULA. ADD SUGAR. GRADUALLY INCREASE SPEED TO MEDIUM. BEAT IN SALT, VANILLA AND THEN EGGS, ONE AT A TIME, BEATING EACH EGG TIL SMOOTH. ADD SOUR CREAM AND CONTINUE TO BEAT TIL SMOOTH. STIR IN LEMON RIND AND JUICE.

TURN BATTER INTO PREPARED PAN. SHAKE GENTLY TO LEVEL. PLACE THE PAN IN A LARGER PAN, WHICH MUST NOT BE DEEPER THAN THE CAKE PAN. PLACE PANS IN THE OVEN. POUR 1-INCH OF HOT WATER INTO LARGER PAN.

BAKE ABOUT 45 MINUTES TIL TOP IS GOLDEN, THE SIDES WILL HAVE RISEN ABOUT 3/4 INCH ABOVE THE PAN. REMOVE PAN FROM HOT WATER AND PLACE CAKE PAN ON RACK TO COOL UNTIL ONLY SLIGHTLY WARM." DO NOT CHILL BEFORE REMOVING FROM PAN". (THE BUTTER WILL HARDEN AND THE CAKE COULD NOT BE EASILY REMOVED). DURING COOLING, CAKE WILL SINK TO LEVEL OF THE PAN.

PLACE A LARGE BOARD OVER CAKE. CAREFULLY INVERT.REMOVE PAN. REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT OR WRAP TIGHTLY AND FREEZE AT THIS POINT.

CUT CAKE INTO PORTIONS BEFORE PUTTING TOPPING ON. WITH A RULER AND TOOTHPICKS, MARK CAKE INTO AT LEAST 16 PORTIONS. USE LONG, SHARP KNIFE, HELD UNDER HOT WATER BEFORE EACH CUT. CUT STRAIGHT DOWN WITH FULL LENGTH OF BLADE. PORTIONS MUST STAY IN PLACE - DO NOT MOVE THEM. PREPARE THE TOPPING.

TOPPING'S
APRICOT HALVES - APRICOT PRESERVES - SUGAR

DRAIN APRICOTS VERY, VERY WELL AND SET ASIDE ON PAPER TOWELING TO DRY.

STRAIN THE PRESERVES. IN A SAUCEPAN, MIX THE PRESERVES AND SUGAR. STIR UNTIL MIXTURE COMES TO A BOIL. LET BOIL FOR 2 MINUTES. POUR ABOUT 1/2 OF MIXTURE OVER CAKE. SMOOTH WITH BRUSH. PUT 1 APRICOT HALF, CUT SIDE DOWN, ON EACH PORTION. BRUSH REMAINING PRESERVES OVER APRICOTS.

REFRIGERATE - BEFORE SERVING, CUT THROUGH GLAZE WITH HOT KNIFE.

NOTE - CANNED CHERRY OR BLUEBERRY PIE FILLING CAN BE USED. USE 2 21-OUNCE CANS IF YOU ARE JUST GOING TO USE PIE FILLING. IN A LARGE STRAINER, SET OVER A BOWL, DRAIN MOST OF
THE SYRUP. ARRANGE FRUIT ON CAKE AND THEN POUR ON PART OF THE SYRUP - YOU WILL PROBABLY NOT NEED ALL OF IT.