A dreamy and silky lemon cheesecake infused with bright fresh lemon flavor throughout. A buttery graham cracker crust topped with creamy lemon-infused cheesecake filling and finished with a golden layer of luscious lemon curd, balancing creaminess, sweetness, and tartness in perfect harmony.
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1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Pulse the graham crackers (or chosen crisp cookies) in a food processor until broken into coarse crumbs, or crush by hand.
2
Add sugar and melted butter, pulse or mix until the mixture resembles wet sand.
3
Pour the crumb mixture into a 9-inch springform pan lined with two layers of extra-wide aluminum foil. Press down with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to compress, keeping the crust only about 1 inch up the sides.
4
Bake the crust alone for 10–15 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Meanwhile, bring water to a boil for the water bath.
5
In a food processor, blend 1¼ cups sugar with zest from 2 lemons until it resembles light yellow wet sand; or rub the zest and sugar together by hand until the same texture is achieved.
6
Place the softened cream cheese, lemon sugar, and salt in a large bowl or stand mixer with paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for about 2 minutes until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl down at least once.
7
Switch to low speed and add the three room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each to fully incorporate before adding the next.
8
Add vanilla extract and fresh lemon juice, then pour in the heavy cream to lighten the mixture. Scrape the bowl one final time and mix until the filling is completely smooth.
9
Remove the baked crust from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan, place the pan in a larger roasting pan, and pour boiling water halfway up the sides for the water bath.
10
Bake at 325°F for about 50 minutes until the center has a gentle wobble (not too jiggly). Check starting at 40 minutes; if needed, continue baking in 5-minute intervals until the wobble is centered and not excessive.
11
Turn off the oven and keep the door closed; let the cheesecake rest inside for about an hour. Then remove from the oven and carefully take off the foil. Chill overnight for best results.
12
Run a small knife carefully along the inside edge of the springform pan to loosen the cheesecake. Use an offset spatula to gently loosen the bottom, then remove the springform base in one confident motion.
13
Spread about ½ cup of lemon curd evenly over the top of the cheesecake, smoothing it out gently.
14
Fill a piping bag with whipped cream mixed with powdered sugar and vanilla. Pipe decorative dollops evenly around the top of the cheesecake.
15
Use a microplane or zesting tool to add fresh lemon zest ribbons as a final garnish, doing this right before serving as the zest dries quickly.
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