Spring Favorites

Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Glaze

Source: Found on Pinterest

You will need 3-4 lemons at room temperature; zest all before squeezing to get fresh juice

Ingredients

  • 2 c. honey graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 Tbls. white sugar
  • ½ c. + 1 Tbls. butter, melted
  • 3 (8 oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/4 c. white sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 Tbls. fresh lemon juice (zest before squeezing)
  • 1 heaping Tbls. grated lemon peel (zest)
  • 1 t. pure vanilla extract

Lemon Glaze

  • 1 egg
  • ½ c. white sugar
  • 3 Tbls. butter
  • 2 Tbls. fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 Tbls. grated lemon peel

Instructions

For the crust, combine the graham crackers, 3 Tbls. white sugar and butter in a medium bowl and press onto the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Set the pan on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let sit on a wire rack while you prepare the filling. Keep the oven on at 350 degrees.

For the filling, in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low until combined, don’t over beat. Stir in lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla until just blended.

Pour filling slowing into crust, return pan to baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes or until edges are set and center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the edge, cool for another hour, then refrigerate overnight before serving.

For the glaze, in a small saucepan, whisk the eggs, sugar, lemon juice and zest until blended. Add butter and cook, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Place a mesh strainer over a bowl, pour the lemon sauce into the strainer and press through with the back of a spoon to get all of the chunks out from eggs and zest. Cool glaze for 10 minutes, then cover and refrigerate until chilled.

Spread glaze on cheesecake before serving.