This is another wonderful creation from a George Geary cooking class I took back on 4/21/1999.
CALIFORNIA LEMON SWIRL CHEESECAKE
Crust:
2 cups crushed lemon cookies (I used 18 store-bought lemon cream-filled cookies.)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (George used slightly less butter for his classroom crust because he crushed up some homemade lemon cookies that were past their prime.)
Crush the cookies in a food processor, using on & off pulses with the metal blade. Add the melted butter and continue to pulse until the mixture is thoroughly combined and it feels like wet sand between your fingers. (You may need more butter depending on the type cookies you use.)
Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch cheesecake pan or a 9-inch springform pan. Place crust in the freezer until the curd and filling are ready.
Filling:
3 8-ounce packages Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tablespoons lemon zest
1 cup of George's homemade lemon curd, divided (Recipe below)
1) Prepare the LEMON CURD and let cool to room temperature. Set aside.
2) In a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, blend the cream cheese, sugar, juice and vanilla until well blended and smooth, about 3 minutes.
3) Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing at least 30 seconds between each egg addition.
4) By hand swirl 1/2 cup of the LEMON CURD slowly into the cheesecake batter.
5) Place pan into a Large Size Reynolds Oven Bag (fold down sides). Wrap outside of bag with 2 large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil and fold edges up the sides of the pan. Set wrapped cheesecake pan into a larger sized roasting pan. Pour batter into the crust-lined pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan (on the outside of the cheesecake pan) until it comes halfway up the outside of the cheesecake pan. Place all into a preheated 325-degree F oven, and bake approximately 50 minutes OR until the center of the cheesecake registers between 145 and 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
6) Remove cheesecake from oven and leave it sitting in the water bath. Set all on a large cake rack and allow to cool for 45 minutes. Then remove the cheesecake from the water bath and unwrap and allow to cool, sitting on a cake rack, an additional 2 to 4 hours until the cheesecake reaches room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before decorating and serving.
7) Spread remaining 1/2 cup lemon curd into the center of the cheesecake and spread to about 1-1/2 inches (4 cm) from the edges of the cake. Pipe a whipped cream border around the outside top edge of the cake.
CLASSIC WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (at least 35%)
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
(I added 1/2 tsp lemon extract.)
In a well-chilled metal bowl using chilled beaters, whip cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer still running, sprinkle sugar (& extract if using) into cream and continue whipping until firm peaks form. Pipe a whipped cream ribbon around the cake. This makes about 1 cup.
FRESH LEMON CURD (from George Geary)
10 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1) In the bottom of a double boiler, place water and then heat to medium--just bring the water to a simmer.
2) Meanwhile, in the top part of a double boiler, off the heat, place the egg yolks. Whisk the yolks to break them up fully. While whisking, sprinkle the sugar into the yolks. At this point you do NOT want to just "dump" the sugar into the egg yolks. Sprinkle the sugar slowly over the yolks while whisking it in. Then pour, in a steady stream while whisking, the lemon juice. Place the top part of the double boiler over the simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly over simmering water, until mixture coats the back of a metal spoon. This will take about 7 or 8 minutes.
3) Do NOT allow Lemon Curd to boil! When thickened, remove curd from the heat. Whisk in the butter, a little bit at a time until melted and smooth.
4) Cool and use when set.
5) To store, cool on the counter and after curd reaches room temperature, place it into an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator.
Full recipe of curd = about 2-1/4 cups. (This curd also freezes quite well. Caryn)
CALIFORNIA LEMON SWIRL CHEESECAKE
Crust:
2 cups crushed lemon cookies (I used 18 store-bought lemon cream-filled cookies.)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (George used slightly less butter for his classroom crust because he crushed up some homemade lemon cookies that were past their prime.)
Crush the cookies in a food processor, using on & off pulses with the metal blade. Add the melted butter and continue to pulse until the mixture is thoroughly combined and it feels like wet sand between your fingers. (You may need more butter depending on the type cookies you use.)
Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch cheesecake pan or a 9-inch springform pan. Place crust in the freezer until the curd and filling are ready.
Filling:
3 8-ounce packages Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tablespoons lemon zest
1 cup of George's homemade lemon curd, divided (Recipe below)
1) Prepare the LEMON CURD and let cool to room temperature. Set aside.
2) In a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed, blend the cream cheese, sugar, juice and vanilla until well blended and smooth, about 3 minutes.
3) Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing at least 30 seconds between each egg addition.
4) By hand swirl 1/2 cup of the LEMON CURD slowly into the cheesecake batter.
5) Place pan into a Large Size Reynolds Oven Bag (fold down sides). Wrap outside of bag with 2 large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil and fold edges up the sides of the pan. Set wrapped cheesecake pan into a larger sized roasting pan. Pour batter into the crust-lined pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan (on the outside of the cheesecake pan) until it comes halfway up the outside of the cheesecake pan. Place all into a preheated 325-degree F oven, and bake approximately 50 minutes OR until the center of the cheesecake registers between 145 and 150 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
6) Remove cheesecake from oven and leave it sitting in the water bath. Set all on a large cake rack and allow to cool for 45 minutes. Then remove the cheesecake from the water bath and unwrap and allow to cool, sitting on a cake rack, an additional 2 to 4 hours until the cheesecake reaches room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours before decorating and serving.
7) Spread remaining 1/2 cup lemon curd into the center of the cheesecake and spread to about 1-1/2 inches (4 cm) from the edges of the cake. Pipe a whipped cream border around the outside top edge of the cake.
CLASSIC WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (at least 35%)
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
(I added 1/2 tsp lemon extract.)
In a well-chilled metal bowl using chilled beaters, whip cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. With the mixer still running, sprinkle sugar (& extract if using) into cream and continue whipping until firm peaks form. Pipe a whipped cream ribbon around the cake. This makes about 1 cup.
FRESH LEMON CURD (from George Geary)
10 large egg yolks
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1) In the bottom of a double boiler, place water and then heat to medium--just bring the water to a simmer.
2) Meanwhile, in the top part of a double boiler, off the heat, place the egg yolks. Whisk the yolks to break them up fully. While whisking, sprinkle the sugar into the yolks. At this point you do NOT want to just "dump" the sugar into the egg yolks. Sprinkle the sugar slowly over the yolks while whisking it in. Then pour, in a steady stream while whisking, the lemon juice. Place the top part of the double boiler over the simmering water. Cook, stirring constantly over simmering water, until mixture coats the back of a metal spoon. This will take about 7 or 8 minutes.
3) Do NOT allow Lemon Curd to boil! When thickened, remove curd from the heat. Whisk in the butter, a little bit at a time until melted and smooth.
4) Cool and use when set.
5) To store, cool on the counter and after curd reaches room temperature, place it into an air-tight container and store in the refrigerator.
Full recipe of curd = about 2-1/4 cups. (This curd also freezes quite well. Caryn)