Make the crust first. In a food processor, add the macadamia nuts and pulse to a fine crumb. Add the melted butter, sugar, and cinnamon to the nuts and pulse some more to incorporate it. Don’t go pureeing it, just get things mixed up together and stop

Grease and flour a 9" spring-form pan (or spray it with Baker’s Joy). Dump the mixture into the pan, spread it out, and firmly press it into the bottom of the pan and maybe a little up the sides. Place the spring-form pan on a jellyroll pan since the butter may leak out all over the inside of your oven (not good). Bake the crust at 325̊ for about 20 minutes or until lightly brown, then remove it from the oven. Sit it on the cook top to cool.

While the crust is baking, make the filling. In a mixer equipped with a beater, mix up the cream cheese to get it smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly add the heavy cream then the egg yolks. Then add the lemon juice, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Mix on medium for 1 minute.

In another bowl with a hand mixer, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. with a spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture. Don't over-fold it! You want it to add some fluffy volume.

Pour this mixture into the crust and smooth out the top.

Place the spring-form pan on a jelly-roll pan and stick it in the oven. Bake at 325̊ for 1 hour or until lightly brown. After 1 hour, turn off the oven, but leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour without opening the door. Don't open the door or the top will crack up really bad. Don't even peek! It needs to cool very slowly.

After an hour, take it out of the oven and put it in the fridge until ready to serve, preferably overnight. Before your guests arrive, use a knife to cut and loosen up around the side of the pan, then pop the spring-form. Then stick the knife between the bottom of the cake and the pan, and rotate the pan to cut it free. Slide it onto your serving platter. Finish off the presentation with a topping of your choice.