I think this is the biggest cheesecake I've made (in my NEW 10-inch springform!) Definitely the most successful. It is divine! One person I served this to said it was better than the Cheesecake Factory. I understand he was being polite and possibly exaggerating, but I'd say he wasn't far off. Only it served up a little messy because I didn't have wax paper between each slice (how do they do that?) But I did try a new trick: slicing with dental floss, and that did a pretty good job.
Anyway. This cheesecake is fabulous. If you like cheesecake (who doesn't?) and lemon (who doesn't?), make it. Love the toasty marshmallow meringue and definitely serve it up with fresh raspberries if available. Wowzah.
Crust:
1 3/4 cups crushed shortbread cookies (about 24 Lorna Doones)
6 T unsalted butter, melted3 T sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extractCheesecake Filling:
2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened (that's 40 ounces or 5 (8-oz.) bars)1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
5 large eggs2 egg yolks
1/3 cup whipping cream1 T vanilla
2 T fresh lemon juice2 tsp pure lemon extract
1/2 tsp lemon oil, if availableZezt of 1 lemon, finely minced
Finishing Touches:
Store-bought lemon curd1 (7-oz.) jar marshmallow creme
RaspberriesMint leaves
1. Preheat oven to 325. For crust, mix all ingredients and press into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap outside of pan with foil to ensure no leakage of batter into water or water into cake. Set a roasting pan filled halfway with water in the oven.
2. For cheesecake filling, in a mixer bowl, blend cream cheese with sugar and flour. Add condensed milk and blend well. Then add eggs, egg yolks, whipping cream, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon extract and lemon oil and blend well on low speed, making sure no cream cheese is stuck at the bottom well of mixing bowl. Fold in lemon zest.
3. Spoon filling into prepared pan. Place cheesecake gently in water bath. Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until cheesecake is just set. Turn off oven, open oven door, and let cool in oven at least 1 hour. Refrigerate cheesecake overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 425 and position oven rack to upper third position. Place cake in oven briefly to brown top (you can also use Broil setting but watch it carefully - I broiled and it took less than 2 minutes.)
1 comment:
Looks so yummy! :) :)
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