Lemon Cheesecake

[PrincessFiona60]

This is my favorite "Plain" Cheesecake, you can use any citrus juice you like. The crust: Graham Cracker is classic, but you can use Oreos, Ginger Snaps, anything you like, better to use a crispy cracker or you can pour it into greased muffin pans or ramikins without a crust to cut down on carbs.

Lemon Cheesecake

5-8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sugar
7 large eggs, beaten
3 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven 350°F. Stir 2 cups cookie crumbs and 6 tablespoons butter in bowl until covered. Press mixture into bottom of 9" Springform pan with 3" sides. Bake crust 12 minutes. Cool completely. Lower oven temp to 325°F.

Using 3 large sheets of foil put cake pan in center, Fold foil around pan to seal.

With mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Slowly mix in sugar. Stir beaten eggs into cream cheese mixture until smooth. Stir in sour cream, lemon zest and juice. Pour mixture over cooled cookie crust.

Place large roasting pan on middle shelf of oven. Place your foil-wrapped cake pan in roasting pan. Pour boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake cake about 1 hour 25 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Remove cake pan from water, remove foil. Cool cake in pan on rack 2 hours. Chill uncovered until cold; cover and keep chilled at least 1 day and up to 2 days.

Slide table knife around side of pan to loosen cake, carefully loosen pan bottom from sides and push up pan bottom to release cake. Place cake with bottom on platter. Garnish with lemon leaves or twists.

[Dawgluver]

Oh yum, PF. C&P!

[PrincessFiona60]

Thanks! This is the recipe I play with to make all my different flavors of cheesecakes.

[Savory]

Sounds great!! Picture please!!!

By the way, how high is the boiling water in roast pan? Relative to the level of cake mixture in cake pan, is water higher or lower?

And the use of foil wrapping the cake pan, I guess the purpose is to prevent water from exposing the cake, correct? Any other reason?

[Andy M.]

I'm a sucker for lemon desserts. I think I'll try this next time I make a cheesecake.

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by Savory

Sounds great!! Picture please!!!

By the way, how high is the boiling water in roast pan? Relative to the level of cake mixture in cake pan, is water higher or lower?

And the use of foil wrapping the cake pan, I guess the purpose is to prevent water from exposing the cake, correct? Any other reason?

I have no pictures at this time...they get eaten very fast, they are lined up to steal it as soon as I remove the sides.

Water Level, about halfway up the sides. I keep a pan of water simmering to add if it looks like the water level may drop too much.

The foil is to seal the water out, nothing worse than a water-logged crust!

[PrincessFiona60]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

I'm a sucker for lemon desserts. I think I'll try this next time I make a cheesecake.

I've added a jar of lemon curd (~6 ounces) or just more lemon juice to make it super lemon! Or just spread the lemon curd on top of the cooled cake.

[Andy M.]

OOOOOOH. Count me in.