Baking Adventures: Lemon Tart Cheesecake

Everyone has their own way of relaxing. Some fish, some golf, some play hockey and I, well, I bake.

Recently I baked a cheesecake for friends. It seems to have gone over well. They want the recipe. I figure someone else might be interested in it as well, so here it is. It’s actually a combination of two of my favourite desserts: cheesecake and lemon tart. Enjoy.

Lemon Tart Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

250g     Arrowroot cookies (no gluten is fine)
1/3 cup    melted, unsalted butter

Lemon Custard

7                egg yolks
2                whole eggs
1 cup         sugar
2/3 cup    freshly squeezed lemon juice (use no substitute)
1/4 cup    freshly grated lemon zest
pinch       salt
1/4 cup    unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
1/4 cup    heavy cream

Filling

1/4 cup    lemon zest
750g        softened cream cheese
1/2 cup   sugar
3              eggs
1 tsp        vanilla extract

Method

• Preheat oven to 325F.
• Prepare a 12″ springform cheesecake pan (preferably non-stick, if not then grease well).

Crust

1. In the bowl of a food processor process the cookies until they become crumbs.
2. Place into a bowl and mix with the melted butter.
3. Press into bottom of 12″ cheesecake pan and refrigerate.

Lemon Custard

1. In a medium sized sauce pot, whisk yolks and eggs together until combined (about 10 seconds).
2. Add sugar and whisk until sugar is incorporated, about 10 seconds.
3. Add lemon juice, zest, and salt and mix until combined.
4. Place pot on medium heat, add butter pieces, and mix until the custard reaches a temperature of 165F – 170F. Immediately remove from heat, add heavy cream, and set aside.

Filling

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high until very smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes).
2. Add eggs, one at a time, until each is well incorporated.
3. Add the lemon zest and vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes.
4. Take half the custard and fold into the cream cheese by hand.
5. Pour filling into the cheesecake pan.
6. Bake for 50 minutes to 60 minutes until centre jiggles like jello.
7. Let cool 1 hour.
8. Pour remaining custard on top of cake.
9. Refrigerate at least 5 hours, preferably overnight.

Notes:

• A 9″ springform pan can be used, but it must have 3″ sides at least and the filling should not reach the top but be at least 1/2″ from the top.

• This is a very dense cake. It’s best to slice on the thinner side.