LEMON BAR CHEESECAKE

By dyannucci

TOTAL TIME 22 HOURS, 45 MIN., INCLUDING CURD AND CANDIED LEMON

Using a dark springJorm pan ensures a go/den brown crust without having to bake before adding the filling.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 to 2 Tbsp. ice-cold water
• 4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups Quick & Easy Lemon Curd, divided
• Candied Lemon Slices (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Pulse first 3 ingredients in a food processor 3 or 4 times or just until blended. Add butter, and pulse 5 or 6 times or until crumbly. Whisk together egg yolks and 1 Tbsp. ice-cold water in a small bowl; add to butter mixture, and process until dough forms a ball and pulls away from sides of bowl, adding up to 1 Tbsp. remaining ice-cold water, 1 tsp. at a time, if necessary. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic
wrap.
Chill 4 to 24 hours. .

2. Roll dough into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a lightly greased 9-inch dark springform pan, gently pressing on bottom and up sides of pan; trim and discard excess dough. Chill 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 minutes or until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

4. Pour two-thirds of cheesecake batter (about 4 cups) into prepared crust; dollop 1 cup lemon curd over batter in pan, and gently swirl with a knife. Spoon remaining batter into pan.

5. Bake at 325° for. 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or just until center is set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. (Do not remove sides of pan.) Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.

6. Remove sides of pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving platter. Spoon remaining 1 cup lemon curd over cheesecake, and, if desired, top with Candied Lemon Slices.

CANDIED LEMON SLICES

Cut 2 small lemons into l/8-lnch-thick rounds; discard seeds. Stir together 1 cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and 3/4 cup water in a large skillet over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add lemon slices, and simmer gently, keeping slices in a single layer and turning occasionally, 14 to 16 minutes or until slightly translucent and rinds are soft¬ened. Remove from heat. Place slices in a single layer in a wax paper-lined jelly¬roll pan, using tongs. Cool completely (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 2 hours to 2 days. Reserve syrup for another use.