New York Style Lemon Curd Cheesecake, perfect for Birthdays...

Happy Birthday to you...Lemon Curd Cheesecake

Birthdays in my family equals going out to dinner and there is always presents and a cake.  The restaurant choice was out of my hands but birthday boy being a bloke, unsurprisingly it involved meat and lots of it. The restaurant in question has been around in Auckland for decades however had moved into a seedy/trendy brick alley at the bottom of town. I booked online and asked if bringing a birthday cake was OK...

 

I decided to make a baked cheesecake, a bit different and a great dessert, and was banking on the gang loving them as much as I do.

Normally I don't bother putting the base up the sides or adding the additional layer topping but because it was a birthday and thinking about blogging it I went the whole hog. 

Initially I was going to do the sour cream topping but only had low fat Greek yoghurt and was a bit worried what would happen when baked so to save the stress of a cake that fails, created a plan B! 

I have made lemon curd many times and added it to ice cream, crepes, toast or yoghurt so why not add it to the top of the cheesecake.  Hooray Hooray it worked and added a much needed zest to a creamy and decadent desert. 

What you need 

Base

2 packets of malt biscuits

1 tsp of mixed spice, all spice or cinnamon

100grams butter (melted)

Filling

2 regular tubs softened cream cheese - either room temperature or microwaved briefly

1 cup castor sugar 

4 eggs 

1 tsp vanilla essence 

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Topping  

50grams butter

1 cup sugar

1 cup lemon juice

2 beaten eggs

Lemon zest from 1-2 lemons

How to make

Grease a round springform baking tin.

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees

In a food processor blitz the biscuits until fine and add both the spice and melted butter. 

Press into the tin and up the sides. If its not sticking to the sides you may need to add a bit more melted butter or blitz the biscuits finer. (I had to re-blitz the butter and biscuits). 

Once pressed into the tin, put into the fridge whilst you make the filling. 

Beat the cream cheese until smooth, add the sugar, eggs one at a time, vanilla, zest and juice. beat again until smooth. 

Check the base and if firm pour the liquid into the tin and bake for 45 minutes or until just firm. 

Whilst the cheese cake is cooking you need to make the final layer. 

In a double boiler (a heat proof bowl above a pot filled with boiling water) melt the butter, stir in the sugar and lemon juice until the sugar has dissolved. Add the beaten eggs and lemon zest.

Stir constantly to prevent ending up with a lemon scrambled eggs. The mixture should start to thicken however it can be a bit of trial and error... 

Tips 

If after about 15 minutes its not thickening either try turning up the heat and possibly adding more boiling water or add an extra beaten egg. The egg is the thickening agent. I like my lemon curd quite zesty and sour so added more lemon juice and zest and had to add an extra egg at the last minute. Also keep in mind when it cools it firms up and sets. 

When the cheese cake is ready, let it sit for 5 minutes or so before you pour on the lemon curd layer. 

Let it cool and put in the fridge until ready to serve. 

I made mine the night before and it was perfect after being in the fridge 24 hours. The lemon curd set really well and the contrast of the yellow and white looked beautiful. 

It went down a treat!  

             

The day after, still as delicious as ever - Lemon Curd Cheesecake