Ingredients: |
Ingredients: Place rack in lower middle position of oven and heat to 325 degrees.
Crust: 5 oz. animal crackers
3 Tbsp. sugar
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter; melted and kept warm
In a food processor, process cookies to fine, even crumbs--should be about 1 cup.
Add sugar, and pulse 2 or 3 times to incorporate. Add warm, melted butter in
slow, steady stream while pulsing until evenly moistened and the mixture resembles
wet sand.
Transfer mixture into a 9-inch springform pan. Press firmly and evenly into the bottom,
keeping sides as clean as possible. Bake about 15-18 minutes until golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack about 30 minutes to room temperature. When cool, wrap outside
of pan with two 18-inch square pieces of heavy-duty foil and set pan in roasting pan.
Filling: 1 1/4 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
3 8-oz packages of cream cheese, softened to room temp
4 eggs, room temp
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Process 1/4 cup sugar with lemon zest in food processor until sugar is yellow and zest
is broken down. Transfer lemon sugar into small bowl and stir in remaining one cup of sugar.
Beat cream cheese until softened and add sugar mixture, beating until creamy and smooth.
Scrape sides often. Add eggs, two at a time and beat, scraping sides after each addition.
Add lemon juice, vanilla and salt and mix. Scrape sides and mix again. Add heavy cream and
mix. Pour into springform pan, and fill roasting pan with enough hot water to come halfway up
the sides of the pan. Bake about 55-60 minutes until center jiggles slightly, sides just start to
puff and suface is no longer shiny. Turn off oven, and prop oven door open with potholder,
allowing cake to cool in water bath for 1 hour. Transfer springform pan onto wire rack and cool
for 2 hours.
Lemon curd: 1/3 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and chilled
1 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/4 Tbsp. vanilla
pinch salt
While cheesecake bakes, heat lemon juice in a small pan until hot but not boiling. Whisk eggs
and yolk in medium bowl and gradually whisk in sugar.
Whisking constantly, pour hot lemon juice into eggs. Return mixture to saucepan, and cook over
medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until thick enough to cling to spoon--about
3 minutes.
Immediately remove from heat and stir in cold butter until incorporated. Sitr in cream, vanilla and salt.
Pour curd through fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl, cover with wrap and refrigerate until needed.
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