Preserved Lemon Cheesecake Recipes

SIMPLY PERFECT LEMON CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325F (not fan-assisted/not convection)
• Make the Crust: Add graham cracker crumbs to a medium bowl and stir in the brown sugar. Pour the melted butter overtop, then stir until all the crumbs are moistened and have a wet sand texture. Add a pinch of salt if you used unsalted butter.
• *If using an 8-inch springform pan, remove 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture, as you won't need it all for the base. You can reserve to sprinkle on top of the finished cake, if you like (sprinkle around the outside edge in a ring).
• Press the moist crumb mixture into the bottom of your springform pan. Use the bottom of a dry measuring cup to make sure the crust is really pressed down, to make it easiest to cut later on.
• Bake the crust until it is lightly golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Leave oven on and set at 325F.
• Make the Filling: Combine the room temperature cream cheese, sour cream and granulated sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is extremely smooth and well blended, a minute or two. Remove the lid of the food processor and scrape down the sides and bottom of the food processor and try to reach under the blades if you can, to fine and incorporate any stubborn chunks of cream cheese. Process again briefly after scraping. (Getting a perfectly smooth batter at this point is important to prevent cracks in your finished cake, so take the time here to make sure it's well blended and smooth).
• Add the eggs, lemon juice and zest and a pinch of salt and keep processing until it's super smooth and creamy, another 30 seconds or so.
• Pour the filling into the baked crust *You may have some leftover filling if you are using a regular cake pan.
• Bake in preheated 325F oven until mostly set, with a little jiggle in the centre 3-4 inches, with the outsides looking set and puffy, about 20 to 30 minutes. The filling should not brown at all. Don't over-cook, as this can cause your cheesecake to crack.
• Turn the oven off and open the door a crack (inserting a wooden spoon in the crack will help it say open). Let the cheesecake sit in the oven for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack on the counter to cool completely.
• Once cooled completely, over the top of the springform pan with plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
• To serve, remove from springform pan. Topping option: citrus slices, a scattering of blueberries or blackberries, a mint leaf and a dusting of icing sugar, if you like.

EASY NO-BAKE LEMON CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: Place the graham crackers and brown sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground, about 1 minute. With the processor running, slowly pour in the melted butter. Process the mixture until it is the texture of coarse sand. Transfer to an 8-inch springform pan. Using a measuring cup, press the crust into the bottom of the springform pan and up the sides, about 2 ½ inches. Press firmly to pack and make an evenly thick crust. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.
• For the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until softened and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the granulated sugar; beat to combine. Add the confectioner's sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sour cream. Beat to combine until very smooth, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• In a medium bowl, combine the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer with a whisk attachment (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment), whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 minutes. Add one-third of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently fold in with a rubber spatula until completely combined. (Scoop the mixture from the bottom of the bowl and fold over the top to combine the mixture, without letting all of the air out of the whipped cream). Add the remaining two-thirds of the whipped cream and continue to gently fold until completely combined.
• Remove the crust from the freezer and add the filling. Gently push into an even layer and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours or up to overnight.
• Loosen the cheesecake from the springform pan. Garnish with lemon slices. Cut pieces with a warm knife and serve with a dollop of lemon curd or sweet strawberries, if desired.

LEMON DREAM CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press onto bottom and 2 in. up the inside of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in cream, lemon juice, flour, lemon zest, extracts and, if desired, food coloring. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust. Return pan to baking sheet., Bake 55-65 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.

LEMON CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crush the digestive biscuits in a food bag with a rolling pin or in the food processor. Melt the butter in a saucepan, take off heat and stir in the brown sugar and biscuit crumbs.
• Line the base of a 20cm loose bottomed cake tin with baking parchment. Press the biscuit into the bottom of the tin and chill in the fridge while making the topping.
• Beat together the mascarpone, caster sugar, lemon zest and juice, until smooth and creamy. Spread over the base and chill for a couple of hours.

PRESERVED LEMON CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make crust: Preheat oven to 350°. Place oats, coconut and brown sugar in food processor bowl and grind to a fine consistency. Add egg white and water; pulse 3 or 4 times until just combined and moist. Press lightly into 10-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Make sure not to process too much or to press too firmly in pan or crust will shrink away from edges too much. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Wrap outside of pan with heavy duty foil to prevent leaking, set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
• Prepare the cheesecake: Discard flesh from preserved lemon and rinse peel well. Chop coarsely and add to food processor with lemon juice; process about one minute. Add cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and flour and process until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. With motor running, add eggs and yolk, one at a time, and process until blended. Pour into prepared pan. Place springform pan in a large roasting pan and add enough boiling water to larger pan so that it comes about halfway up sides of covered springform pan.
• Bake for 1 hour at 325° until center is just set on top. The center should barely move when touched lightly. Remove from oven and allow to cool in water bath for about 15 minutes. Remove pan from water bath and let cool completely on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate 12 hours to overnight before serving. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen before serving.