Instant Pot Cheesecake

1. Add trivet into the inner pot of Instant Pot, then add 1 1/2 cups water to the bottom.
2. Add parchment round to bottom of 7” springform pan.
3. Fold a length of aluminum foil over itself longways a few times to make a long strip of foil about 3 inches wide.  This will act as a sling and will help you remove the pan from the Instant Pot when needed. Add the sling to the top of the trivet, so that the long ends of the sling come up and out of the pot.

MAKE THE CRUST

1. To a mixing bowl, add all crust ingredients (graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt, nutmeg and melted butter), and stir together until combined.
2. Add to the bottom of prepared springform pan and press into a flat, even layer over the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan.  You can use the bottom of a flat bottomed glass, measuring cup, or just your fingers.
3. Transfer pan with crust to the freezer while you prepare the cheesecake batter.

MAKE THE CHEESECAKE BATTER

1. In another mixing bowl, add cream cheese and beat with hand mixer for 30 seconds or so.  Add sugar and beat until well combined.
2. Add eggs and mix on low speed until JUST combined.
3. Add flour and sour cream and mix until JUST combined again.
4. Add vanilla extract and lemon zest and stir in with a rubber spatula.
5. Remove pan with crust from the freezer and pour cheesecake batter over the crust.  Gently pick up pan and tap it down a few times on the counter to bring any air bubbles to the surface.  Poke the air bubbles gently with a toothpick or tines of a fork to remove them. 

PRESSURE COOK

1. Transfer pan carefully to trivet, placing it on top of the foil sling.  Fold down the long sides of the sling so the foil doesn’t fall into your pan as the cheesecake cooks.
2. Secure Instant Pot lid and set valve to “sealing”.  Select “manual” or “pressure cook” and set to cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
3. When pressure cooking is finished, let the pressure release naturally.  When the pin has dropped, remove lid, being careful not to let too much condensation drip onto the cheesecake top.
4. Use a paper towel to very gently blot away any condensation that did drip or build up. 
5. Press “Cancel” to turn Instant Pot off. Let cheesecake sit in the Instant Pot for 5-10 minutes, then use foil sling to remove pan from Instant Pot.
6. Transfer pan to wire rack. Gently run a knife between the pan and the outside of the cheesecake, but do NOT release the pan. Let cheesecake cool completely, then cover and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours, or preferably, overnight.

TO SERVE

1. Gently run a knife between the pan and the outside of the cheesecake, then release the springform pan. Slide a long, thin knife underneath the parchment to loosen the cheesecake from the bottom of the pan, then slide it onto serving plate/cake stand.
2. Top cheesecake with pie filling in center, leaving about a 1/2” to 1” border.
3. Slice cheesecake, cleaning knife after each cut for clean cut slices.