Allie’s Lemon Cheesecake

By allie5jones

Ingredients

• Filling:
• 5 oz. Nabisco’s Barnum's animal crackers
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 4 tbsp. butter, melted and kept warm
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 tbsp. grated zest plus 1/4 c. juice from 1-2 lemons
• 3 8 oz. pkg. of cream cheese, cut into chunks and left to stand at room temperature
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• Lemon curd:
• 1/3 c. juice from 2 lemons
• 2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 tbsp. butter, cut into cubes, chilled
• 1 tbsp. heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

For the crust: Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process the cookies to fine, even crumbs. Add the sugar and pulse. Add the warm, melted butter in a slow, steady stream while pulsing. Transfer mixture to 9 inch springform pan; using the bottom of a measuring cup, press the crumbs firmly into the pan bottom. Bake until golden brown, 15-18 minutes. When cool, wrap the outside of the pan in foil. For the filling: Process 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in a food processor until sugar is yellow (15 seconds). Transfer into a small bowl and stir in remaining 1 cup sugar. In a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese on low. With the machine running, add sugar mixture, increase the speed to medium and beat until creamy and smooth (3 minutes). Reduce the speed and add eggs 2 at a time, lemon juice, vanilla, salt until well incorporated. Add the cream and mix about 5 seconds more. Pour into springform pan. Fill a roasting pan with enough hot water to come 1/2 way up the springform pan (the springform is on the roasting rack). Bake until the center jiggles slightly and the surface is no longer shiny (55-60 minutes). Turn off the oven and allow to cool with the door slightly ajar for 1 hour. Let cool on the counter (out of the roasting pan) for 2 hours. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. For the lemon curd: While the cheesecake bakes, heat the lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot, but not boiling. Whisk eggs and yolk in medium bowl and gradually whisk in sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly scrape the egg mixture into the lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture clings to the spoon (3 minutes). (You should be able to leave a clear trail that quickly disappears with your spoon.) Immediately remove from the pan and stir in the cold butter, then the cream, vanilla, salt. Pour curd through a fine mesh strainer and into a bowl. Cover the curd directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Spread on top of cheesecake.