Dessertscarlsbadcravings5.0
Lemon Cheesecake
This Lemon Cheesecake is velvety sunshine all wrapped up in the must-make dessert of spring! It’s lusciously creamy, boasts the glorious balance of fresh, tangy sweetness and is crowned with the most exquisite bright, zingy, silky smooth lemon curd all nestled in a buttery Graham cracker crust – need I say more? This Lemon Cheesecake recipe can be made 100% ahead of time, including the whipped cream (thanks to my stabilized whipped cream technique) for a stress-free dessert! I’ve included detailed instructions on how to make Lemon Cheesecake so even if you’ve never made cheesecake before, it will be a runaway success – and it’s so much easier than you think!
👥 10 Servings⏱️ Prep & Cook: 2h 19m⏳ Prep: 1h🔥 Cook: 1h 19m👤 Jen📖 carlsbadcravings
🥘 Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you prepare them:
🍳 Cookware
- pot
- oven
- pan
- food processor
- bowl
- measuring cup
- slow cooker
- knife
- microwave
- mixing bowl
📝 Preparation Steps
1
PREP
2
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Begin boiling a large pot of water (about 4 quarts) for the water bath (you may not need all of it).
3
Line the bottom of a 9" springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the inside of your entire pan with nonstick cooking spray. (The parchment will allow you to transfer your cheesecake later.)
parchment papernonstick cooking spray
4
CRUST
5
Add Graham crackers to a food processor and pulse until finely ground (or crush in a bag with a rolling pin). Add butter and sugar and pulse (or stir) until evenly combined.
butter, melted8 tablespoons
6
Add to the greased springform pan and firmly press the crumbs down on the bottom of the pan using the bottom of a small bowl or measuring cup until you have a compact, even layer.
7
Bake crust at 325 degrees F for ⏱️ 10 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. (You can prep filling while the crust cools.)
8
WATERPROOF PAN
9
Waterproofing step 1: Place 2 large 18" x 18" pieces of aluminum foil on a flat surface underneath the pan in the form of a “+.” Gently fold (to make sure you don't create any holes) up the sides of the foil around the pan. If you don't add the bag in the next step, then double wrap the foil.
10
Waterproofing step 2 (optional but HIGHLY recommended): Place foil lined springform pan in the bottom of a slow cooker liner or oven roasting bag. Bring the liner bag up to the top of the pan then gather excess to one side and tie it in a knot.
11
CHEESECAKE FILLING
12
Add cream cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about ⏱️ 4 minutes (no less!). Add sugar and cornstarch and beat 5 additional minutes on medium speed.
13
Add the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and salt and beat until blended. Add the eggs one at a time followed by the egg yolk, beating as little as possible, just until combined after each addition (overbeating once you add the eggs can cause cracks and the cheesecake to deflate).
sour cream (at room temperature)1 cuplemon zest1 tablespoon
14
Pour mixture onto cooled crust. Drop the pan on counter a few times to get rid of excess air bubbles.
15
WATER BATH
16
Place cheesecake in a large roasting pan then place the roasting pan in the preheated oven. Using a glass liquid measuring cup or pitcher, carefully pour in enough boiling water (add it low in the corner of the pan) until it reaches halfway up the side of the springform pan.
17
BAKE
18
Bake the cheesecake at 325 degrees F for ⏱️ 65-85 minutes or until edges are firm and the center 2-3 of the cheesecake is still wobbly. (DON'T open door before ⏱️ 65 minutes, this can cause cracks.)
19
CHILL
20
Turn off the oven and crack the oven door open about 1-inch. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for ⏱️ 60 minutes, then remove it to a wire rack.
21
Gently run a hot knife along the edges of the cheesecake and unclamp the cheesecake (to prevent cracking). Continue to cool for ⏱️ 2-3 hours or until cheesecake is completely cooled. (To quckly heat knife, you can dip it in the hot water bath water.)
22
Cover the cheesecake with foil or transfer to a cake caddy and chill in the refrigerator overnight, best if ⏱️ 24 hours, or proceed to add the lemon curd/and or stabilized whipped cream and then chill.
lemon curd (<1 cup
23
LEMON CURD
lemon curd (<1 cup
24
While the cheesecake is cooling, you can make the lemon curd and refrigerate. You can add chilled lemon curd to the cooled cheesecake at any point, as long as the curd has time to chill for at least ⏱️ 2 hours (on or off the cheesecake). Spread the lemon curd onto the cooled cheesecake, leaving an optional 1-inch border around the edge for looks.
lemon curd (<1 cup
25
WHIPPED TOPPING
26
Optional for stabilized whipped cream: Add unflavored gelatin to a microwave safe bowl then pour the cold water over top; let stand for ⏱️ 5 minutes. Microwave for ⏱️ 20 seconds. Stir the mixture, then set aside to cool while you beat the heavy cream.
unflavored gelatin (optional see notes)1 teaspoon
27
Add heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Whip using an electric hand mixer just until soft peaks form.
powdered sugar3 tablespoonsvanilla extract1 teaspoon
28
Turn the mixer to low and slowly pour in the gelatin mixture. Mix until well combined then increase the speed to medium and continue mixing until stiff peaks form.
29
Transfer whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a large tip. You can pipe the stabilized whipped cream onto the room temperature cheesecake before you pop it into the fridge or any time after that. The beauty of stabilized whipped cream is it will hold its shape indefinitely. If using regular whipped cream, top just before serving. Garnish cheesecake with berries, lemon wedges, lemon zest and mint if desired.
lemon zest1 tablespoon
Reviews & Ratings
Share your thoughts and feedback about this recipe
Write a Review
Community Feedback0 Reviews
Loading reviews...