Serves 12
If you love lemon and you love cheesecake, then this is the dessert for you!
One of the best things about having a food blog is that there’s always something new cooking in the kitchen because there needs to be a constant supply of “blog fodder.” One of the worst things about being a food blogger is that the quest for all things new and delicious sometimes means that the old and delicious gets forgotten. That’s what happened with this cheesecake. It was an old recipe, it was a delicious recipe and I’m sad to say it was also forgotten.
However, it’s forgotten no more! This week, I went into the archives, virtually dusted off this recipe and gave it a new lease of life. I tweaked it, converted it to the Thermomix, gave it a photographic facelift and took the most deliciously wonderful trip down an edible Memory Lane.
This cheesecake is the mother of all baked cheesecakes. It’s got a substantial crumb base, the value added marscapone makes it deliciously rich and extra creamy and the freshness of the lemon lightens things up. The sour cream and lemon butter is just the tops, but if you don’t have either, you can serve your cheesecake naked because it’s stand alone delicious or why not top with some whipped cream? What I love about this cheesecake is that you can bake it ahead and decorate just before serving. Not only will this cheesecake feed your crowd, it will please them too!
Next time life gives you lemons, make cheesecake!
Ingredients – Traditional
250g Granita biscuits
80g butter , melted
250g mascarpone
600g cream cheese
2 eggs, plus 2 yolks
zest 4 lemons, juice of 2
4 tablespoons plain flour
175g caster sugar
FOR THE TOPPING
150g sour cream
3 tablespoons lemon butter
handful berries , to serve (optional)
How to – Traditional
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Lightly grease a 23cm springform tin and line the base with baking paper.
- Tip the biscuits and melted butter into a food processor, then blitz to make fine crumbs.Press the biscuit butter mixture into the base of the tin. Use your hands or a spoon to do this. Place in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to chill.
- Whisk all the other ingredients in a large bowl until well combined and smooth and pour into the tin.
- Place springform tin on a baking tray, place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes . The cheesecake is ready when it looks set in the centre with a slight wobble.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven with the oven door slightly ajar. When the cheesecake is completely cool, put it in the fridge overnight.
- Before serving, remove the cheesecake from the tin and top with sour cream. Gently swirl the lemon butter over the top with the end of a knife and decorate with your favourite berries.
Ingredients – Thermomix
80g butter
250g Granita biscuits
175g caster sugar
250g mascarpone
600g cream cheese
2 eggs, plus 2 yolks
zest 4 lemons, juice of 2
4 tablespoons plain flour
FOR THE TOPPING
150g sour cream
3 tablespoons lemon butter
handful berries , to serve (optional)
How to
-
- Heat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Lightly grease a 23cm springform tin and line the base with baking paper.
- Melt the butter for 2 minutes at 60 degrees on speed 2.
- Add biscuits to TM bowl and crush for 5 seconds on speed 9. The mixture should have the texture of damp sand. If necessary, blitz for another 5 seconds. Tip the mixture into the springform tin. Press the biscuit butter mixture into the base of the tin. Use your hands or a spoon to do this. Place in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to chill.
- Wash and dry bowl. Mill raw sugar, if using, for 10 seconds on speed 9.
- Add mascarpone, cream cheese, flour, eggs and lemon juice and zest and mix for 30 seconds on speed 4. Scrape down lid and sides of bowl. The mixture should be well combined and smooth. If necessary, mix again for another 5-10 seconds. Pour cream cheese mixture over base.
- Place springform tin on a baking tray, place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes . The cheesecake is ready when it looks set in the center with a slight wobble.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven with the oven door slightly ajar. When the cheesecake is completely cool, put it in the fridge overnight.
- Before serving, remove the cheesecake from the tin and top with sour cream. Gently swirl the lemon butter over the top with the end of a knife and decorate with your favourite berries.
Other info
Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 40 minutes plus overnight chilling
TIP!
Soften the lemon butter before decorating – it will make it much easier to swirl!
The cheesecake can be frozen baked but undecorated.
