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First: 10/15/2010
Last: 5/18/2013
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I came across this recipe and, even thought I'm not a cheesecake fan, I love lemon. Hope you all enjoy it, too. It came from this month's Southern Living. Did I say how "awesome" this is??
First make lemon curd:
Grate zest from 6 lemons to equal 2 Tbs. Cut lemons in half; squeeze juice into measuring cut to equal 1 cup.
Beat 1/2 cup butter, softened, and 2 cups sugar at med speed with electric mixer till blended. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended, after each addition. Gradually add lemon u8ice to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until blended. Stir in zest (Mixture will look curdled). Transfer to a 3 qt microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave on HIGH 5 mins, stirring at 1 min intervals. Microwave, stirring at 30 second intervals, 1 or 2 more minutes. When mixture coats the back of a spoon and starts to mound slightly when stirred, place heavy-duty plastic wrap directly on the warm curd and chill 4 hours or until firm. Store in airtight container in refrig up to 2 weeks. Makes 2 cups of curd.
LEMON BAR CHEESECAKE
Use dark springform 9" pan. Makes 10-12 servings
2 cup all purpose flour 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed 2 egg yolks 1-2 Tbs ice-cold water 4 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened 1 cup granulated sugar 4 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups Lemon Curd
Pulse first 3 ingredients in food processor 3-4 times until just blended. Add butter, pulse 5-6 times or until crumbly. Whisk together egg yolks and 1 Tbs 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 Tbs remaining ice water, 1 tsp at a time, if necessary. Shape dough into a disk and refrigerate 4-24 hours.
Roll dough into 14" circle on lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a lightly greased 9" spring form pan, gently pressing on bottom and up sides of pan. Trim and discard excess dough. Chill 30 mins.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat cream cheese at med speed with electric mixer 3 mins or until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until yellow disappears after each addition. Add vanilla.
Pour 2/3 of the cream cheese batter into the springform pan (about 4 cups), dollop 1 cup of lemon curd over batter in pan and gently swirl with a knife. Spoon remaining batter into pan.
Bake 325 degrees for an hour to an hour and ten mins until center is set. Turn oven off and leave cake in oven for add'l 15 mins. Remove cheesecake from oven and gently run knife around outer edge of cake to loosen from sides of pan. DO NOT REMOVE SIDES OF PAN. Cool completely in pan on wire rack - about one hour. Cover and chill 8-24 hours.
Remove sides of pan and transfer cheesecake to a serving platter (I just left mine on the springform pan bottom) Spoon remaining 1 cup of lemon curd on top of the cheese cake.
Recipe suggest decorating with candied lemon slices which I did but don't think I'd do that again. They were more than a little tart despite the sugar that was added to candy them. Talk about pucker power!!!
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