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Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd topping - Recipe

Lemon Cheesecake & Lemon Curd

This lemon cheesecake is perfection - velvety, creamy, and smooth! The lemon flavor is light & bright, it's easy to make, and is a showstopper dessert!
5 from 1 vote
Course Dessert
Servings 12 people

Equipment

  • 8 inch Spring Form Pan
  • Electric Beaters or Stand Mixer
  • Citrus Zester
  • Roasting Pan

Ingredients
  

Crust

  • 6 oz Graham cracker crumbs About 12 whole crackers
  • 5 Tbsp melted butter

Filling

  • 2 8oz packages cream cheese Softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 2 Tbsp flour or 1 Tbsp corn starch
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 6 Tbsp lemon juice fresh is best!
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs

Instructions
 

The Crust

  • Preheat your oven to 350° F
  • Coat the inside of an 8-inch springform pan with butter.
  • Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl. The mixture should be the texture of wet sand, and hold together when you squeeze it in your fist.
  • Transfer the mixture to the greased springform pan and very firmly press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan, using either your hands or the bottom of a drinking glass.
  • Bake the crust for 8-10 minutes, until fragrant and golden around the edges. Remove from the oven to a cooling rack.
  • Once cool enough to touch, wrap the springform pan with 2 sheets of tinfoil.
    Cut 2 large pieces of tinfoil and set them on your work surface, one on top of the other in a cross. Set the springform pan in the middle of the foil, and wrap the foil up and around the sides of the pan. Seal the top of the foil as tightly as you can around the top; this helps prevent condensation from forming between the pan and foil and damping your crust.
    Set the pan aside until the filling is ready.

The Filling

  • Place the softened cream cheese, sugar, salt, and corn starch (or flour) in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (alternatively, you can use a hand-held electric mixer and a large bowl).
    On medium-low speed (NOT high), cream the ingredients together until creamy and silky and no lumps of cream cheese remain. Use a spatula to scrape down the edges of the bowl making sure everything is well incorporated.
  • Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla to the cream cheese and mix thoroughly.
  • Add the sour cream and beat on medium until well combined.
  • Add the eggs to the batter, one at a time, waiting until the first egg is just barely incorporated before adding the next one. Mix fully.
  • Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and use a spatula to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Stir the batter by hand a few times, making sure everything is as incorporated as possible.
  • Pour the batter over the cooled crust.
  • Transfer the lemon cheesecake to a large roast pan (or baking dish big enough to hold it).
  • Boil a kettle of water and fill the roasting pan with boiling water, to about an inch (or lower) below the top rim of the springform pan. Be very careful not to splash any water on the cheesecake.
    Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the preheated oven.
  • Bake the cheesecake in the water bath for 40-45 minutes. Do NOT overbake. Your perfectly cooked cheesecake will still have a good amount of jiggle in the center when you gently shake the pan, while the outer inch will be more firm.
  • Turn the oven off, prop the oven door open about an inch or 2, and leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional hour to slowly start to cool.
  • After an hour of cooling in the oven, remove the cheesecake from the oven and from the water bath. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cheesecake to make sure it’s not sticking to the sides (which can cause it to crack while cooling).
    Take the tinfoil off your pan and allow the cheesecake to completely cool on a cooling rack.
  • Chill the cheesecake, uncovered, in the fridge for a least 4 hours, but ideally, overnight. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP! This step is extremely important for achieving the perfect cheesecake texture; velvety, creamy, and smooth.
  • When you’re ready to serve your cheesecake, remove the outer ring of the springform pan and oh so carefully, transfer the cheesecake from the springform bottom to a serving platter.
    Spread a generous layer of lemon curd over the top of the cheesecake, or don't - the cheesecake is still incredible without it!
Keyword cheesecake, lemon