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Lemon Cheese Cake Recipe
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Recipe

This Lemon Cheese Cake is a decadent and sumptuous treat. A blend of silky cream cheese with a sweet lemony zing. A creamy smooth interior texture is accentuated by the crumbly crunchy graham cracker crust. This is truly a luxurious dessert perfect for your next special occasion.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 7 Graham crackers
  • ¼ Cup Butter
  • 2 Tb. Sugar

For the Cheese Cake

  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • 2 8 Oz Packages cream cheese softened
  • ½ Cup Sour cream
  • 2 Eggs
  • ⅓ Cup Lemon juice
  • 2 Tb Lemon zest

For the Lemon Curd

  • ⅓ Cup Lemon juice
  • 2 Eggs
  • ⅔ Cup Sugar
  • 1 Tb. Lemon zest
  • 6 Tb. Butter

For the Whipped Cream

  • 1 Cup Whipping cream heavy
  • 2 Tbs. Sugar

Instructions

  • To make this decadent Lemon Cheese Cake just preheat your oven to 300°.
  • Crush the Graham crackers in a zip top plastic bag with a rolling pin. Mix the sugar into the crumbs. Melt butter over medium heat then add to the crumbs and mix in.
  • Press mixture into the bottom of a spring form pan or into the bottom and sides of a regular pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes then allow to cool slightly before filling.
  • Position a broiler tray filled with about an inch of water below the main cooking rack. This will prevent the cheese cake from drying out and cracking while it is cooking.
  • Mix the cream cheese with the sugar until it is smooth. Add the sour cream and stir until it is incorporated.
  • Crack the eggs into the bowl and mix well. Then, add the lemon juice and grated lemon zest.
  • Pour into crust and bake for about 50 minutes. Then turn off oven and let rest inside the hot oven for about 1 hour.
  • Refrigerate cheese cake for 3 to 4 hours to cool down before serving. Top with lemon curd and homemade whipped cream if desired.
  • To make the Lemon Curd mix lemon juice, eggs, sugar and lemon zest in a medium glass or enamel pan.
  • Heat slowly over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 10 minutes. If it does not begin to thicken then turn up the heat a little bit and continue to stir. Avoid getting it too hot because the eggs might begin to curdle.
  • Remove from heat. Cut butter into 8 pieces and add to curd. Allow it to melt then stir until it is well mixed.
  • It will continue to thicken as it cools. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the curd to prevent a film from forming as it cools. Place in refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.
  • For the whipped cream whip the sugar and whipping cream together with an electric hand mixer or egg beater until light and fluffy and soft peaks begin to form. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Notes

If using a spring form pan, line it with foil before adding the graham cracker crumbs and pressing them down. This will help prevent leaks and make the cake easy to remove.
For the lemon curd use a glass or enamel pan if possible, using a metal pan may give your lemon curd a slight metallic taste.