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.
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.