Lemon Cheesecake

I never had cheesecake while growing up. It simply didn’t exist in Mother’s repository of recipes way back then. There were cakes, soufflés and puddings but surely no cheesecake. The first time I tasted it-and fell in love with the texture and flavors was way back 25 some years ago. It was was creamy, and addictive! It was a lemon cheesecake-the lemon sauce-sweet and tangy drizzled over it .
Lemons are abundant here-a very attractive yellow-oval in shape. Ripe and juicy, they sit on the kitchen counter and fill the room with their subtle fresh fragrance. Waiting to be used. It’s cheesecake time-and as on all my visits, I bake a big batch and leave them in the freezer for the kids to use when they entertain. I also make, to accompany the cheesecakes or as toppings for ice-cream, mixed fruit compote and lemon butter glaze…It sure was a happy baking Sunday! 

Lemon Cheesecake

For the pie crust:*
10-12 digestive biscuits
1/3 cup butter at room temperature
Crumble biscuits-place biscuits in a plastic bag and use rolling pin to crumble them. Mix well with butter lined bake for 10 minutes at 400 degrees F.Cool and set aside.

Filling:

250 gms cream cheese
2 eggs
½ cup fine sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Blend ingredients well, using a hand held electric mixer. Pour into pie base.
Bake at 400 degrees F for 40 minutes.

*I used store bought crusts.

Lemon Glaze

I used Roma Patil’s method of caramelizing rinds. Instead of orange rinds I used lemon rinds. They came out so well-thanks Roma!
Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture, but they are very visible in the lemon glaze into which I put them.

Making Caramelized Lemon Rind

1. Peel the Lemons. Slice the skin in long juliennes.
2. Heat 1/4 cup Sugar till it forms brown liquid (caramelizes). (I reserved the liquid for the glaze)
3. Close flame and add the juliennes, few at a time. Let the Sugar syrup coat each one properly.
4. With the help of small pincers, remove one by one and let dry on an Aluminum foil.
Sugar syrup leftover from making the caramelized rinds –about 1 ½ cups

The lemon glaze

Juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons cornflour
10-12 caramelized lemon rinds

Mix together sugar syrup and lemon juice in a heavy bottom pan. Simmer over low heat...Mix in butter and once it fully melts, add cornflour, mixed with a little cold water.Continue stirring and add the rinds.Cook for a minute or so.Cool.Drizzle over lemon cheesecake.

Use over pound cake or ice cream too!