Copy These Super Easy Lemon Cheesecake Recipes

For some reason the humble cheesecake is something that every aspiring home chef seems to have troubles with at one point or another. There are a lot of secret restaurant recipes that are so hard to locate and a couple of common problems baking these super easy lemon cheesecake recipes, include large slits , darkened top, lumpy filling, collapsed middles and the awing shrinking cheese cake (cake shrinks around the outside).

All of these problems tend to leave when the cheesecake is constructd and cooked properly.

Before we get going , a little science if you please. Most of the problems talked about above all stem from an improper cooking process . That usually is because everyone treat the recipe as if it was for a cake. But the truth is, cheese cake is a lot more similar to a custard pie than it is to a basic cake recipe. So, that means we need to work and cook the ingredients not the same .

Lead off is the pan. Many people recommend using a spring form dish but I do not like them. The reason will you will see when we get into the baking process. For now locate a 9 inch round cake pan with very high sides (at least 2 inches). We first need to treat the dish so we can get the baked cheesecake out later . For that, melt a bit of butter and with a brush, baste the entire inside of the pan . Now , using parchment paper, cut out a circle for the bottom of the pan and a long rectangle for the side. Once the parchment paper has been added to the pan, we can focus on the crust.

Many people like a cookie crumble crust but I prefer good old graham crackers. I take about 2 dozen and place them in a moldable ziptop bag. Using my fingers only, I squeeze them for atleast 30 seconds to a min. . Don’t worry,some big chunks are ok. Now , melt one quarter cup of unsalted butter and add the cracker crumbs to it along with one tbs. of sugar. Mix with a spatula briefly and put into the bottom of the pan . Next find a heavy glass with a flat bottom or other tamping tool (the kind used to flatten meat works supurb ). You will want to tamp down all the crumbs in the pan so they stick to each other and help the crust form. Bake the crust blind for Ten minutes at three hundred degrees.

Now comes the filling. Before you begun working on the dish prep , you should have taken the cream cheese out of the refridgerator and place it on the counter to soften (at least thirty mins or so). We are also going to need 1.25 cups of sour cream , one cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of cream (whipping or heavy), one table spoon of vanilla extract, five large eggs, one quarter cup of lemon juice, the zest of one lemon, and one table spoon of cornstarch (optional).

Now , the mixing of the batter is important. We want everything combined well but we don’t want to add any air into the batter. Air is usually the problem when a cheesecake falls or has a sunken center. So, the best tool in my opinion is the Kitchenaid stand mixer (or your favorite brand).

To start , put the sourcream into the mixing bowl and with the paddle attachment, beat on medium low for a minute. Next add the cream cheese , the sugar and the optional cornstarch. The cornstarch acts to help slow down the binding of the eggs in the custard which prevents cracking. Think of it as a little extra insurance. If you follow this recipe you should not need it but if this is your first time trying this recipe, you may want to consider adding it.

So, next we beat this combine on low speed for 1 minute. Then turn up the speed to medium for a few more minutes. Stop the machine and scrape the bowl. Next, in a container mix the 1/3 cup of cream, vanilla, 2 large eggs, 3 egg yolks, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix this up well with a fork.

Turn the mixer on medium low speed and slowly drizzle in 1/2 of the cream and egg mixture. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl again. Start it again but this time on medium high speed and add the remaining egg mixture. Continue mixing for about 1 more minute. The batter should be uniform (no lumps) and not airy.

Next , the baking . Preheat the oven to two hundred fifty degrees. Remember when you cooked the crust blind. Well, you want to put the batter to the pan but first make sure the crust is completely cool (let it cool out of the oven for at least 15 minutes). Add the batter to the pan. Give the pan a few little twists left and right to help any air bubbles come to the top.

At the same time, boil at least 2 quarts of water (the amount will depend on your pan size). We need to create what’s known as a “bain marie” (Marie’s bath). If you have another cake pan that is a few inches bigger in diam use that. If not, a disposable aluminium baking dish works well too (the kind for lasagne or roasting). Add a clean towel to the bottom of the large pan and stick in into the oven. Add the cheesecake pan into the larger pan and gently push it to the side . Now , with kid gloves add the simmering water into the larger pan. Pour enough to come up two thirds the way up the cheese cake pan.

Now , being careful , center the cheese cake pan in the larger pan and close the oven. Bake at 250 for one hour. Here’s the hard part. After 1 hour the cake will not looked cooked. But the problem is you don’t want to over cook the cheesecake . So, open the oven door for about 30 seconds to let some heat escape. Now , close the door and leave the cake alone for one hour. After that, carefully take the cake pan out of the water pan and place into a refridgerator for six hours.

Finally we have cheesecake. There are some minor acrobatics necessary to get the cake out of the pan. First, fill your sink 1/2 way up with hot water directly from the tap (the hottest it will go). Now , let the pan float in the sink for 15 seconds . Next remove it and place it on a towel. Using a sharp thin knife carefully trace around the outside of the pan and then carefully slip ot the waxed paper from the side of the pan. Next , take some wax paper and cut a circle the same size as the cheese cake . Place the wax paper on top of the cheesecake. Place a round plate or the bottom from a spring form pan on top of the cheesecake and carefully but quickly invert it. Now remove the pan.

Ok, but now you are looking at the under side of the cheese cake . Remove the parchment from the bottom. Decide what dish you will use to serve the cheesecake (or opt a nice size bakers cake round). Put that on the underside of the cheesecake and once again invert it carefully . Lastly, remove the wax paper from the top and cut your cheesecake .

If all went well you should have a delicious and beautiful lemony cheesecake that your friends and family will think you purchased . And you know what, if the top does crack, who cares. That’s why they fabricated whipped cream! Right?

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