This candy and tangy lemon cheesecake is made with recent lemon juice and zest, then topped with shiny, citrusy lemon curd! It’s the right steadiness of creamy, tart, and candy flavors that makes this one of the best lemon cheesecake!
This lemon cheesecake is filled with shiny lemon taste and consists of three entire lemons for the recipe! Freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest are added to this creamy New York cheesecake, which is then topped with a tart and citrusy lemon curd and embellished with lemon slices and whipped cream.
Lemon cheesecake is a shiny and tangy dessert that is incredible for Easter, birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! It’s nice for the winter when citrus is in season but additionally terrific for the summer season whenever you want a refreshing dessert.
If you are a fan of lemon, don’t skip the lemon curd. I extremely suggest it for a lift of shiny lemon taste which completely enhances the creaminess of the cheesecake. You can serve the lemon cheesecake with out the curd, however the lemon taste will probably be extra delicate and delicate.
Ingredients
Lemon Cheesecake Toppings:
- Lemon curd – Lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar, eggs, butter.
- Whipped cream – Heavy cream, sugar.
- Lemon slices – Cut slices in half or quarters for straightforward adorning.
Step by Step Photos
- Pulse the graham crackers in a meals processor to get crumbs. Add the melted butter, sugar, and salt and pulse just a few extra occasions. The texture ought to resemble moist sand.
- Prep the springform pan with a backside parchment spherical and double-line with heavy-responsibility aluminum foil. Press the graham cracker crumbs into the pan alongside the underside and sides, then bake for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream cheese, bitter cream, eggs, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest into a big bowl. Beat with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer till clean and creamy.
- Beat the batter on the bottom setting for two minutes to take away giant air bubbles. Then, bang the bowl just a few occasions on the counter to push up any air bubbles. This will assist forestall cracking.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the crust and as soon as extra, bang the pan just a few occasions to take away air bubbles.
- Set the springform pan into a bigger roasting pan and fill it with about 1 inch of sizzling water to create a water bathtub.
- Bake for 75 minutes after which flip off the oven, leaving the cheesecake inside to slowly lower in temperature.
- Crack open the oven door barely to let loose the warmth for 1 hour. Afterward, take away the cheesecake from the water bathtub and take away the foil. Allow it to come back to room temperature, then cowl evenly and chill within the fridge for at the very least 4 hours to in a single day.
Removing air bubbles and baking the cheesecake in a water bathtub ought to (fingers crossed) get you a clean, crack-free cheesecake. But in case your cheesecake cracked, don’t fret! We’ll cowl it with luscious, shiny lemon curd and whipped cream so nobody will know.
Lemon curd topping
While the cheesecake is resting within the oven, put together the lemon curd:
- Fill a saucepan with 2 inches of water and convey to a boil. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and sugar to a bowl and set on prime of the saucepan to create a double-boiler. Continually whisk till the curd thickens and begins to bubble.
- Turn off the warmth and take away the bowl from the saucepan. Add the lemon zest and whisk in just a few items of butter at a time. Transfer to a container and canopy with plastic wrap so it touches the floor to forestall pores and skin from forming. Store within the fridge till able to serve.
Assemble lemon cheesecake
- Spread an excellent layer of lemon curd on the floor of the cheesecake. Use as a lot or as little as you want, relying on desire.
- Pipe whipped cream across the edges and place skinny slices of lemon on prime.
To serve, place a skinny knife in sizzling water after which wipe it dry. Warming the knife will get you clear slices. Be positive to wipe off any extra cheesecake from the knife and place it again into the new water. Wipe it dry earlier than every slice. Enjoy!
Tips
Lemon Cheesecake
This candy and tangy lemon cheesecake is made with recent lemon juice and zest, then topped with shiny, citrusy lemon curd! It’s the right steadiness of creamy, tart, and candy flavors that makes this one of the best lemon cheesecake!
Instructions
Crust
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Use a meals processor to make graham cracker crumbs. Alternatively, crush them in a resealable bag utilizing a rolling pin or kitchen mallet. Mix the crumbs with the melted butter, sugar, and salt. It ought to resemble moist sand and maintain its form when pressed. Add the crumbs to the pan and firmly pat right down to get an excellent layer on the underside and sides. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Set apart.
1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 2 ½ tablespoons butter, 1 ½ tablespoons sugar, pinch of salt
Cheesecake Filling
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Make the batter: Reduce the oven to 325°F. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, eggs, sugar, bitter cream, lemon juice and zest, and salt till clean and creamy on medium-excessive velocity. Scrape down the edges and backside midway by means of. Lastly, take away giant air bubbles by lowering the velocity to the bottom setting for 1 to 2 minutes.
2 8oz packages cream cheese, 2 eggs, ⅔ cup sugar, ⅔ cup bitter cream, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Water bathtub: Pour the batter into the springform pan and take away any air bubbles by banging the pan onto the kitchen counter lined with a kitchen towel. Put the springform pan into a bigger roasting pan and add sizzling water just a few inches up the aspect to create a water bathtub.
- Bake: Bake at 325°F for 75 minutes. Turn off the oven and use a wood spoon to crack open the oven door. Let the cheesecake slowly scale back in temperature for one hour then take away it from the oven.
- Chill: Remove the cheesecake from the water bathtub and take away the foil. Once it reaches room temperature, loosely cowl and chill within the fridge for at the very least 4 hours to in a single day.
Lemon Curd
- Double-boiler: Fill a saucepan with about 2 to three inches of water and convey to a boil. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and sugar to a non-reactive, warmth-protected bowl and set on prime of the saucepan to create a double-boiler. Make positive the underside of the bowl does not contact the water. Continually whisk till the curd thickens and begins to bubble, about 10 to 13 minutes. See Note 3.3 eggs, ½ cup lemon juice, ½ cup sugar
- Add butter and zest: Turn off the warmth and take away the bowl from the saucepan. Strain whereas nonetheless sizzling for those who see cooked items of egg. Add the lemon zest and whisk in just a few items of butter at a time, letting it soften into the curd to create a silky texture. Transfer to a container and canopy with plastic wrap so it touches the floor to forestall pores and skin from forming. Store within the fridge till able to serve. 5 tablespoons butter, ½ tablespoon lemon zest
Add toppings and serve
- Spread the lemon curd on the cheesecake, reserving some for serving on the aspect. Top with lemon slices and whipped cream (see Note 4). Cut slices utilizing a skinny knife that is been dipped in sizzling water and wiped dry earlier than every slice. Serve and luxuriate in!
✎ Recipe Notes
- Graham cracker crust – Reduce the quantity by half for those who solely desire a backside crust with no sides.
- Cream cheese – Use full-fats cream cheese for finest outcomes. To soften, go away at room temperature or microwave for 20 seconds at a time at half energy till mushy (my most well-liked methodology).
- Lemon curd – Whisking is crucial to keep away from cooked items of egg. If this occurs, merely pressure the curd by means of a sieve whereas it is nonetheless sizzling.
- Whipped cream – Add 1 cup of heavy whipping cream to 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Beat on medium-excessive velocity till mushy and fluffy.
Storage: Store within the fridge for as much as 3 days or freeze the lemon cheesecake for as much as 1 month. Thaw the cheesecake within the fridge in a single day and prime with recent lemon slices. Store leftover lemon curd within the fridge for 3 days in an hermetic container with plastic wrap touching the floor of the curd to forestall a pores and skin forming.
Tips:
- Crust: Use a flat-bottomed measuring cup with straight sides to simply press down the graham cracker crumbs.
- Crack-free cheesecake: Cracks can kind in cheesecakes because of air bubbles, over-mixing, and improper temperature. Avoid opening the oven throughout baking to maintain the temperature constant.
- Once it is completed baking, permit the cheesecake to relaxation within the oven with the door cracked for an hour to let the temperature lower slowly. This prevents the cheesecake from collapsing and cracking.
- Once the cheesecake involves room temperature, cowl it loosely to forestall any condensation from dripping onto the cheesecake.
- Chill in a single day for finest outcomes.
- Make-ahead for the vacations – Lemon cheesecake will be made as much as 2 days prematurely and saved within the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 273mg | Potassium: 106mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 601IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 1mg
Yes, you can also make lemon cheesecake as much as 2 days forward. Cover it with plastic wrap and retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge. It’s nice for holidays, particular events, and get-togethers.
Lemon cheesecake freezes exceptionally effectively. Pre-slice for particular person servings or freeze the whole cheesecake. I like to recommend wrapping it in plastic wrap after which inserting it inside a freezer-protected container to keep away from frost. Thaw it within the fridge in a single day earlier than serving.
