Every piece of this luscious, creamy cheesecake with handmade lemon curd on top is bursting with the flavor of fresh lemons.
Make sure you have a spring-form pan and a deep baking pan that it can fit into with space to spare because this recipe asks for a water bath. The finest cooking technique for an egg-heavy baked cheesecake is without a doubt a water bath. As the filling bakes, the steam produces a humid atmosphere that uniformly cooks the eggs and gives the cheesecake that coveted silky smooth texture.
The best lemon dish is lemon cheesecake, which has two layers of genuine lemon taste. There is not a drop of lemon essence to be found in the thick, tart lemon curd topping or the creamy lemon filling, which are both prepared with fresh lemons. The cheesecake filling and lemon curd should be able to be made with five to six big lemons.
The flavor of lemon curd is smooth and buttery, which harmonizes beautifully with the tartness of the fresh lemon juice and the sweetness of the sugar. Instead of buying lemon curd from the supermarket, try this simple homemade recipe. All you need is a whisk and a little elbow work to quickly make creamy lemon curd; neither a double boiler nor a mesh strainer are required.
How to Make Lemon Cheesecake
- Aluminum foil should be tightly wrapped around a 9-inch springform pan before using a water bath. Choose a baking pan that is both big enough to accommodate the spring form pan and tall enough to allow water to rise all the way to the cheesecake’s top. For a water bath, a sizable roasting pan, such as the one used for a turkey, works well.
- In order to prepare, center the oven’s rack and heat it to 325 degrees. Graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter should all be combined. It ought to have the consistency of wet sand. Evenly press the crust mixture into the bottom of the spring-form pan.
- Filling: In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar at a high speed until it is frothy and light. Medium speed should be used. Mix in the flour, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and other ingredients until well combined. Spread evenly after pouring the filling ingredients over the prepared crust.
- Bake: Place the springform pan into the bigger baking pan, filling the larger pan with heated water until it comes halfway up the sides of the cake pan, and then bake. Don’t spill any water on the cheesecake when you put everything in the oven. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the middle no longer jiggles. The oven should be turned off, the door should be slightly ajar to let heat escape, and the oven should be left to cool for an hour. While making the lemon curd, take the baked goods out of the oven and let them cool.
- Lemon Curd: In a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on high for two to three minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Mix well after adding the lemon juice. Over medium heat, pour the egg mixture into a large pot and stir continuously. Keep whisking for another 12 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick enough that when you swirl the whisk, the pan is left empty.
- Finish by evenly distributing the lemon curd over the cheesecake. Before serving, put the cheesecake in the refrigerator to chill fully. Add whipped cream or powdered sugar as a garnish and a little lemon wedge to each piece.
More Delicious Cakes
Key Ingredients
- Fresh Lemon: This dish calls for fresh lemon and lemon zest for optimum lemon flavor. Start with warm lemons and roll them with the palm of your hand on a firm, flat surface to loosen them in order to get the maximum juice. Always zest lemons (or other citrus fruits) before juicing them; a juiced fruit is challenging to zest.
- Sour Cream: To give this cheesecake a bit more tang, sour cream is used in place of heavy whipping cream. Because it breaks up the dense cream cheese, sour cream also imparts a light, fluffy texture to cheesecake.
- Lemon Curd: For lemon aficionados, this dish couldn’t be better thanks to the lemon curd topping. If you enjoy baking, this elegant topping is a terrific one to learn since it is tangy, sweet, and smooth. Any dessert from the summer may become Top Chef-worthy with a dab of lemon curd.
Is it possible to make Lemon Cheesecake in advance?
You may make a baked cheesecake in advance or simply the lemony filling. Once baked, Lemon Cheesecake keeps well in the refrigerator for approximately two to three days before losing a lot of moisture and losing its attractive appearance. If you store the cheesecake mixture in the fridge in an airtight container, you may make it approximately 3 to 4 days in advance. Pour the lemon cheesecake mixture into a prepared pie crust the day you intend to serve it, then bake the cheesecake as usual.
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust:
- ▢1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 12 full crackers
- ▢1/4 cup sugar
- ▢6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted
Cheesecake Filling:
- 24 ounces cream cheese , softened, 3 blocks
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons flour
Lemon Curd:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and wrap a 9″ springform pan in a large piece of foil to protect from the water bath, and a large pan of water you can set the springform pan in to bake.
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together then press it into the springform pan in an even layer.
Cheesecake Filling:
- To your stand mixer add the cream cheese and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy.
- Lower the speed to medium and add in the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour until smooth.
- Carefully spread the mixture on the crust.
- Place the pan in the water bath and bake for 60-70 minutes or until it no longer jiggles in the center.
- Turn off the oven, open the door a couple of inches to let the heat out gently, and let cool for 1 hour then remove from the oven.
Lemon Curd:
- To your stand mixer add the butter and sugar creaming it together until lightened in color and fluffy, 2-3 minutes on high speed.
- Add in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
- Add in the lemon juice until well combined.
- Add the mixture to a large saucepan over medium heat and whisk constantly.
- Keep whisking until thick enough that the whisk going through the pan leaves a mark in the lemon curd, about 12-15 minutes.
To Finish:
- Pour the lemon curd over the cheesecake.
- Chill completely before serving.
- Top with whipped cream and a tiny wedge of lemon.
Nutrition
Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 375mg | Potassium: 273mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 1081IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 143mg | Iron: 1mg
This looks professional as it can be