Lemon Cheesecake

Crust

  • 5 oz animal crackers or social tea biscuits
  • 3 tbs sugar
  • 4 tbs butter, melted
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 °F.
  2. Pulse the cookies and sugar in a food processor until evenly sandy.
  3. Add butter in a stream while pulsing food processor; continue to pulse until mixture is evenly mostened.
  4. Spread crumbs on bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and press down.
  5. Bake about 15 to 18 minutes until lightly browned. Cool before adding filling.

Filling

  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tbs grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 lb cream cheese
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  1. Process 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in food processor until sugar is yellow and lemon zest broken down. Add remaining 1 cup sugar.
  2. In a standing mixture with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until mixture is creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add eggs 2 at a time and beat until evenly incorporated.
  4. Add lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix just until incorporated. Add heavy cream and mix.
  5. Pour batter into springform pan on top of the crust. Bake until center jiggles slightly, sides just start to puff, and themometer registers 150 °F. Cool at room temperature 2 hours.

Lemon Curd Topping

  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 2   eggs
  • 1   egg yolk
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tbs butter
  • 1 tbs heavy cream
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  1. Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes but keep chilled.
  2. Heat lemon juice in a non-reactive saucepan until hot but not boiling.
  3. Whisk eggs and egg yolk together in a non-reactive bowl; gradually beat in sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour in hot lemon juice.
  4. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens slightly and reaches 170 °F.
  5. Remove pan from heat and stir in cold butter until evenly incorporated. Stir in cream, vanilla, and salt.
  6. Pour cream through a fine-mesh strainer into a non-reactive bowl. Refrigerate with plastic wrap on the surface.
  7. Spread lemon curd evenly on cooled cheesecake, still in springform pan.
  8. Cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
  9. Remove springform sides to serve.