Meyer Lemon Cheesecake With Creamy Lemon Curd Recipes

MEYER LEMON CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375º F and butter the bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan.
• Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, pecans, sugar and melted butter. Press into the spring form pan, going up the side of the pan about an inch. Bake about 8 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely.
• Decrease oven temperature to 325º F.
• In a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese until it's smooth using the whisk attachment. Add the sugar and lemon zest and mix together. Add the vanilla extract, cornstarch, and heavy cream and stir until combined. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time; mix each in before adding the next. Stir in the lemon juice. Pour the cheesecake filling into the spring form pan on top of the cooled crust. Wrap aluminum foil around the pan then bake in a water bath for 60-70 minutes. The outer edges should be set and the center will still jiggle a little when you move it. (The cake continues cooking after it's removed from the oven.)
• Cool for 1 hour, then remove the spring form rim. Cool completely, then place into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, overnight is best. You can garnish with the whipped cream and lemon slice, if you like.

LEMON CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place the oven rack in the lower half of the oven and preheat to 325°F.
• Place the animal crackers in a food processor and pulse until they are fine crumbs. Add in the sugar and pulse again. Add the butter in a steady stream and continue to pulse until the mixture starts to come together, about 10 1-second pulses.
• Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly into the bottom. Bake until it is golden brown, about 13-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Once cool, wrap the pan with 2 18-inch pieces of foil. Set in a roasting pan and set aside.
• To make the filling, place 1/4 cup of the sugar and the lemon zest in a food processor and process until the sugar turns yellow and fragrant. Add in the remaining sugar and pulse a few times to combine.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese for about 5 seconds. With the mixer on low, add in the lemon sugar in a steady stream, then switch to medium and beat until creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, 2 at a time, scraping down the bowl in between additions. Add in the lemon juice, vanilla and salt and mix to combine. Add in the cream and beat to combine, another 5 seconds. Scrape the bowl again to make sure everything has been incorporated and pour into the springform pan.
• Place the pan in the oven and carefully add enough water to the roasting pan to make it halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center is slightly jiggly and the sides start to puff and the surface is no longer shiny, about 55 to 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and prop the oven door open with a towel or wooden spoon. Allow the cake to cool in the oven for 1 hour.
• Remove from the roasting pan, remove the foil, and transfer to a wire rack. Run a small paring knife around the edges of the cake and let it sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
• While the cheesecake is baking, make the lemon curd. Heat the lemon juice in a small pan over medium heat until it is hot, but not boiling. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Gradually whisk in the sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot lemon juice into the egg mixture, then pour the mixture back into the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 170°F, or until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until it is melted. Stir in the cream, vanilla and salt. (If you have lumps in the curd, pour through a fine mesh strainer to strain any lumps.) Pour the curd into a small nonreactive bowl. Cover the surface of the curd directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
• When the cheesecake is cool, top it with the lemon curd while still in the springform pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, but 24 hours is better.

MEYER LEMON CHEESECAKE WITH CREAMY LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Zest the lemons into a medium sized glass bowl and set a fine-mesh strainer on top.
• Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a small glass bowl that fits over a pot filled with a few inches of water. Bring it to a low simmer and place the bowl on top.
• Whisk the eggs constantly, trying not to splash the mixture up onto the sides*. Whisk until mixture has thickened, coats the tines of the whisk, and reaches about 170°F.
• Remove the lemon curd from heat and stir in butter one tablespoon at a time, stirring each time until fully incorporated.
• Stir in the lemon juice and immediately transfer the mixture to the fine-mesh strainer. Strain into a bowl and let cool for at least 10 minutes before covering and transferring to the fridge to chill.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Rub the inside of a 9-inch springform pan with butter until lightly coated. Stir together the graham crackers and melted butter and use the bottom of a measuring cup to press it into the bottom of the pan.*
• Bake for 8-10 minutes or until fragrant and golden brown. Let cool completely.
• Change the oven temperature to 350°F and set the wire rack into the lower third of the oven.
• Place two long sheets of aluminum foil in a cross shape on your work surface. Wrap the foil up around the bottom edges of the springform pan to help prevent water from getting in.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese lowest speed you can until it is smooth. Add in the sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding another.
• Fold in vanilla, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt and sour cream and until combined.
• Pour in the cheesecake filling into the cooled and prepared springform pan and use a rubber spatula to smooth out the top. Set inside of a baking dish and surround the pan with 1-2 inches of hot tap water. Place into the oven and bake for 55 - 60 minutes, or until the outside edges are firm but the center still slightly jiggles like jell-o.
• Turn off the oven, crack the oven door and allow to cool in the oven for one hour.
• Remove the cheesecake from the oven and water bath. Gently run a thin knife around the edges to release the cheesecake from the springform pan's ring, and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before the next step.
• Just before serving, remove the cheesecake from the springform pan mold and use a small knife or offset spatula to top it with the chilled lemon curd. The cheesecake will stay good uncovered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

LEMON CURD CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Wrap securely around pan., In a small bowl, mix crushed wafers and melted butter. Press onto the bottom and 3/4 in. up sides of prepared pan. Bake 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream and sugar until smooth. Beat in lemon zest and juice. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. , Bake until center is just set and top appears dull, 1 to 1-1/4 hours. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove foil. Cool 1 hour longer., Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, whisk together first 5 curd ingredients. Add butter; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is just thick enough to coat a metal spoon and a thermometer reads at least 170°. Do not allow to boil. Remove immediately to a small bowl; cool completely., Gently spread curd over cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled. Remove rim from pan. If desired, top with fresh lemon zest strips.

CHEESECAKE WITH MEYER LEMON-GINGER CURD

Steps:

• Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Pulse the graham crackers and butter cookies in a food processor until finely ground; drizzle in the melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and about 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack and let cool completely. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Pour the batter into the prepared crust. Transfer to the oven and bake until the edges are set but the center still jiggles slightly, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and keep the cheesecake in the oven with the door ajar, 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen. Transfer to a rack; let cool completely, then refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Make the lemon curd: Finely grate the ginger; put in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and press with a rubber spatula to extract the juice.
• Whisk the eggs, sugar and cream in a small nonreactive saucepan until combined. Add the lemon juice and ginger juice and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbly, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl, pressing it through with a rubber spatula; let cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Spread the curd over the cheesecake and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Remove the springform ring and slice. Serve with strawberries.

LEMON CURD MARBLED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make lemon curd:
• Whisk together zest, juice, sugar, and eggs in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Add butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubbles appear on surface, about 6 minutes.
• Force lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a wide shallow dish, scraping bottom of sieve, then cover surface with wax paper. Cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Make and bake crust:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Invert bottom of springform pan (to make it easier to slide cake off bottom), then lock on side. 3Stir together crust ingredients in a bowl, then press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of springform pan. Place springform pan in a shallow baking pan and bake 10 minutes, then cool crust completely in springform pan on a rack.
• Make filling and bake cheesecake:
• Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
• Beat together cream cheese and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add eggs 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Beat in sour cream and vanilla until combined.
• Pour two thirds of cream cheese filling into crust, then spoon half of lemon curd over filling and swirl curd into filling with a small knife. (Avoid touching crust with knife to prevent crumbs getting into filling.) Repeat with remaining filling and curd.
• Bake cheesecake until set 1 1/2 inches from edge but center trembles when pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes. (Center of cake will appear very loose but will continue to set as it cools.) Transfer springform pan to a rack and immediately run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen. Cool completely, about 2 hours, then chill, uncovered, at least 4 hours. Remove side of springform pan before serving.