Friday 5 September 2014

Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd


My love affair with lemons continues with this Lemon Cheesecake. And as if I did not get enough of lemons, I decided to make Lemon Curd for topping.

You wouldn't believe that this is the first time that I am eating Lemon Cheesecake. Honestly, I did not think that Lemon Cheesecake is anything appealing. I wonder why. Maybe it was because I did not have a good experience with lemon cream biscuits. Or maybe it was because I associated lemons with cleaning products.

But after baking and tasting this Canadian Lemon Pound Cake, my perception of lemony bakes has changed entirely. I am now lemon crazy. Since I have a few lemons in the fridge, it was time for me to attempt a lemon cheesecake.


The basic cheesecake recipe is taken from Allan Bakes Really Good Cheesecakes, with some modifications. I did not follow the cheesecake base recipe and instead opted for the usual Digestive Biscuits. Allan's cheesecake base uses 250g of butter and with the rising prices of good butter (Golden Churn is now RM12.50 per 250g block ), I would prefer to use it for butter cakes instead.

I went to town with the extra Lemon Curd.

A word about the Lemon Curd. I first spotted the recipe at Joyce's blog and then at Cik Manggis recently. I noted that Joyce's recipe uses less sugar but more butter compared to Cik Manggis'. So I opted for Joyce's recipe.

Call me ulu, but in spite of being a butterholic when it comes to cakes, I found the smell of butter too strong in the lemon curd. It tasted very strong too. Joyce's recipe calls for 6 tablespoons (85g) of butter as opposed to Cik Manggis' which uses only 2 tablespoons. Even then, I had reduced the butter to 60g.



Embarrassing as it is, I admit that I added 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and zest of one lemon to the curd to reduce the smell of butter and essentially murdering the recipe. Joyce, please don't faint hah...hah... There is nothing wrong with your recipe, it is just me. The lemon curd turned out alright and I liked the taste.  In future I will just reduce the amount of butter.



I made the lemon curd as the cake was cooling. Once the lemon curd was cool enough, I placed it in the fridge to firm up. When the cheesecake was completely cool, I spread a layer of the chilled lemon curd on top and it looked rather pretty. The cake was chilled overnight and I had a taste the next morning.



Wow! It was so good. Sweet and tangy and lemony. Definitely a new favourite cheesecake which I will bake again when I can get nice fresh lemons. If you love lemons and cheesecakes, this may be a favourite of yours too.

As for the lemon curd, I had some leftovers even after applying more lemon curd to the topping. And guess what? I had it for dessert 3 days later hee..hee...hee...





Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd
Recipe source : Adapted from Allan Bakes Really Good Cheesecakes (page 32)
(Makes one 8" cake)

Ingredients :

For the base :
- 200g Digestive Biscuits, finely crushed
- 75g butter, melted

For the filling :
- 500g cream cheese
- 150ml sour cream
- 180g caster sugar
- 120ml milk
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp custard powder
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- Zest from two lemons (my lemons were small)
- Juice from 1 lemon

Method :

For the base :
1. Grease an 8" springform pan and wrap in heavy duty aluminium foil. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed Digestive Biscuits with melted butter until evenly mixed.
3. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and use your fingers to press the mixture firmly over the base of the pan and going up the sides.
4. Bake the base for 10 minutes at 160C (or you can just opt to chill in the fridge to set) and set aside to cool.

For the filling :
1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
2. Add milk, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract.
3. Add sour cream and mix well.
4. Add eggs one by one, beating well between additions.
5. Lastly add custard powder and mix well.
6. Pour filling into the cake pan and bake in a water bath at 140C for about 1 hour or until the outer ring is firm and the middle is still wobbly.
7. Leave the cake in the oven to cool for 30 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
9. Spread Lemon Curd (recipe below) on top of the cake and chill the cake overnight in the fridge.

Note : I had buttered the sides of the pan quite generously and did not have to run a spatula around the sides to release the cake.

Lemon Curd
Recipe source : Kitchen Flavours
Note : This recipe makes 1 cup of lemon curd and there were extras after I used it as topping for the cake.

Ingredients :
- 1/2 cup (125ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/3 cup (65gm) sugar (or 1/2 cup, 100gm, if using regular lemons)(I used 100g)
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 large eggs
- pinch of salt (I omitted)
- 6 tbsp (85gm) unsalted butter, cubed (I will reduce to 2 tbsp in future)

Method :

1. Place a mesh strainer over a bowl, and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the lemon juice, sugar, egg yolks, eggs and salt.
3. Add the butter cubes and set the pan over low heat, whisking constantly until the butter is melted.
4. Increase the heat and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and just begins to become jelly-like. It's done when you lift the whisk and the mixture holds its shape when it falls back into the saucepan from the whisk.
5. Immediately press the curd through the strainer. Once strained, store the lemon curd in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to one week.



This post is linked to Cook-Your-Books #16 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours.

65 comments:

  1. Oh myyyyyyyy!!!!!!! Your cheesecake looks so perfect and BEAUTIFUL!!! I know it must taste super delicious!

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    1. Thanks, Mel! I like the taste a lot, sweet, sour and so lemony!

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  2. OH MY LORD!!!! :P~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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  3. OHHH.... I love your lemon cheesecake! Please share a slice with me ~~~~

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    1. Hi Ann! My pleasure to share a slice with you over a cup of coffee!

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  4. I think I should stop visiting your blog for 3 months. Temptation temptation... >.<

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    1. LOL....at least you look only. If Chris he will go hunting for this yummy cheesecake leh

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    2. RG : Just look, don't eat :)

      Meow : Ya lah, cannot tahan so must go and find the cheesecake to eat LOL!

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  5. bet this one was like chipsmore. ...kejap ada...kejap hilang liao.....super clean till no need to wash plate

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    1. hah..hah...sedap sehingga menjilat pisau dan pinggan!

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  6. Yummy ....lemon cheesecake for me anytime.

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    1. Chris, since you work out a lot, you can afford to eat!

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  7. Replies
    1. Sharon, you always like that one..... Never mind just go to the bakery and buy :)

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  8. What a lovely cheesecake, so perfect. I won't make one. Phong Hong, please share some with me, hehehe!

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    1. Kimmy, I can share with you anytime in exchange for some mooncakes hee..hee...

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  9. What a perfect lemon cheesecake with lemon curd! You can open your own cake shop now and I will order from you. So who are those lucky persons who get to eat your very tasty cake (apart from yourself and your partner la)?

    Enjoy your weekend! Baking more cakes?

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    1. Thanks, Mun! I gave away to some wonderful people who eat whatever I bake hah..hah... the poor things....

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  10. Hi Phong Hong,
    This cake looks sinfully good! You've added lemon curd as the topping! A super great idea, as I can imagine how delicious a slice of this cake is, tangy topping with creamy cheese!
    I did not pengsan, not yet, will soon, if I do not have my breakfast after this, my tummy is growling!
    Thanks for the mention! Now if only I could have a slice.....!!!! :)

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    1. Hi Joyce! Thank you for the lemon curd recipe! It is very delicious. I had the leftovers neat after dinner. Licking the spoon and the container hah..hah..hah....

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  11. yes, i can't believe that, this is the first time that you are eating Lemon Cheesecake?? hmmm, for someone so into baking, it's somehow not convincing enough huh?? hahaha.. anyway, i come here and don't really care what you have or have not eaten before, but the pleasure is looking at what you bake or cook!! hahaha, agree?? :p

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    1. SK, I am a late learner hah..hah... There are many things I have not eaten yet like scones, crumbles and apple cake. But slowly, slowly I will try and bake these things and eat!

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  12. first thing first, i have to say the first photo is such a great shot!! fuyoh, like those we can find on recipe books lah.. seriously, have you thought of publishing your own recipe book?? or call me jakun if you already have been doing so, haha..

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    1. Really kah? That was just shot with an old digital camera. I think it was the natural light that did the trick. Recipe book? Who knows one day....

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  13. i love this cake, with or without the lemon curd.. i guess the cake itself taste very very delicious already, and also look very sexy from the appearance!! a very successful one this time i believe?? tangy, yeah, that's exactly what i love about lemon.. not too sweet and that little tangy kind of enhance the flavor, besides i also love the fragrant of lemons.. i really LOVE this cake, it looks like something from heaven, haha~~ :)

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    1. The cake by itself is already good. But I wanted to taste lemon curd, curious lah. This cake has got a good balance of sweet and sour which makes you want to eat more!

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  14. Wowwwwww!!!! This puts a lot of those at the bakeries to shame. Such a beauty!

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    1. hee..hee.. thank you! Worth the effort :)

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  15. Saw some lemon curds at cold storage selling cheap yesterday.

    And today, a lemon cheesecake with lemon curd recipe comes out here. :)

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    1. So did you buy the lemon curd? It is really yummy. I was licking the spoon and the container hah..hah....

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  16. You made very delicious looking cheesecakes! So does Ann of My Bare Cupboard and I love to drool between the two of you lol! There're a lot of cheese and butter involved, expensive stuff...cheaper to just drool hehe! Don't want to bake for ungrateful people :P

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    1. Thank you, Jeannie! Got ungrateful people kah? Alamak! Then don't give them hee..hee...

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  17. Oh Phong Hong, I think I will fall for your lemon cheesecake!! I don't mind having a love affair with your delicious lemon cake too!! hahahaa...

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  18. to the conttrary, everything with lemon is appealing to me:) so your cheesecake is!

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  19. PH your cheesecake is so so beautiful and perfect. Can I come over for tea?

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  20. When I see lemon cheesecake, dunno why but I'll think of the no-bake version immediately.. But when I scroll to your ingredients and see eggs, I know it's the baked one.. I see your first picture also I know it's baked one liao.. Too much work la, call me lazy, I would go for the no-bake one.. But if you bake this for me, I finish it infront of you, no joke..

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    1. Louiz, I know you will take a spoon and dig into the cheesecake!

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  21. Your lemon cheesecake looks so smooth and sexy!! ;)

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  22. Phong Hong, wow! this Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Curd is soooo beautiful and soooo tempting ... I don't mind just a thin slice as I like lemon curd ^-^!

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    1. Karen, how can you take just a thin slice? Not enough lah! hah..hah...

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  23. Wow looks so perfect.. That slice is killing me

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  24. hey, i see now you expert alreay! the cheesecake looks beautiful and perfect to me! practice makes perfect huh? :))))

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  25. Hi friend,
    can call you cheese cake expertise already!
    A visual and palate delight!
    Well done PH!
    I like the first picture,very impressive !!

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    1. Thank you, Aunty Young! Must belanja you cheesecake :)

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  26. I am a big fan of lemons and i wanted to reach out for a piece!

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  27. Wow! Chef Wan and Agnes Chang would have clapped their hands at your cake. So neat and perfect looking! I know Agnes Chang very well and she is a sweet lady who often advised me cooking short cuts for lazy bums like me! I am also a close friend of Helen & Abby who started the Delicious chain. I know Abby better and longer. If I meet them all, I will ask them to look at your good blog.

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    1. Hi TM! Wow, you know Agnes Chang! I used to watch her cooking show and I also have her cookbook. So, you know a few other great chefs. Lucky you!

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  28. Phong Hong, I think my heart 'just skipped a beat' when I saw your gorgeous lemon cheesecake, and the Lemon Curd topping...oh, my, OMG...I think I'm in 'heaven' seriously! The cheesecake is so light and fluffy, and the lemon curd is just perfect. FYI...it does require a lot of butter, and I can see your point about cutting down on the butter, but it is sooo lemony and gooood!

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    1. Hi Elisabeth! I loved the lemon cheesecake and the lemon curd too. But I did receive feedback that it was too tart hah..hah... Perhaps it could use a bit more sugar but I love the tartness. Guess not everyone does :)

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  29. Phong Hong, your cheesecake looks so perfect, so beautiful, so delicious...... so, may I have a slice please...? :))

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    1. Hi Faeez! Of course you may have a slice! By the way, I tried your Salted Caramel. I almost drank it hah..hah...

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    2. I can't blame you.... It's soo good!

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    3. Yup, still have half a jar and trying very hard to keep it there :D

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  30. Phong Hong I love this lemon cheescake look wonderful and I love lemon))

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