Ultimate Lemon Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the lemon cookie base. (A graham wafer crumb base is easily substituted if you prefer.)

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup icing sugar powdered sugar
• small pinch salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter cut in cubes
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp lemon zest finely minced

For the cheesecake batter

• 3 eight ounce packages ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 1 cup whipping cream whipped to soft peaks
• zest of one large lemon finely minced
• For the lemon curd
• 4 lightly beaten egg yolks
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• zest of half a lemon finely minced
• 1/3 cup butter cut into small pieces
• For the candied lemon zest
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• zest and juice of one large lemon
• additional sugar to toss the lemon peel in about a cup

Instructions

• To prepare the cookie base
• Sift together the flour, icing sugar and salt. Mix in the lemon zest. Set aside.
• Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until it is well incorporated and the mixture becomes crumbly, like a coarse meal
• Whisk together the egg yolk and lemon extract Add to the crumbly dry mixture and mix in until a soft dough forms.Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least a half hour.
• Press evenly into the bottom of a parchment paper lined 9 or 10 inch spring form pan. Dipping your fingers into flour helps if the dough is too sticky. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before adding the cheesecake batter.
• To prepare the cheesecake batter
• Cream together the cream cheese and sugar.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts.
• Whip the whipping cream to soft peaks and fold it in gently by hand along with the lemon zest, using a rubber spatula.
• Pour over the prepared and cooled base and bake in a bain marie at 300 degrees F for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The cheesecake does not have to brown at all in order to be fully baked; the surface of the cheesecake should lose any shine when the cake is properly baked. It can still be slightly wobbly just at the center at this point.
• Remove the cake from the oven and run a sharp knife completely around the edge of the pan. This will allow for the cheesecake to shrink as it cools and hopefully not crack (but who cares if it does? I am never bothered by a crack or two in the surface) Allow the cheesecake to cool thoroughly on a wire rack at room temperature for an hour or so before cooling it completely for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.
• To prepare the lemon curd
• In a small saucepan combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest.
• Cook slowly over medium low heat for about 10 minutes stirring constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
• Remove from heat and stir in the butter a few pieces at a time until completely smooth.
• Cover with plastic wrap and chill completely in the fridge. Spread evenly on top of the chilled cheesecake and garnish with candied lemon zest.
• To prepare the candies lemon zest
• Remove the zest of the lemon in large pieces using a sharp vegetable peeler. You want to avoid using too much of the pithy white layer.
• Add to the saucepan along with the 1 cup of sugar, water and lemon juice. Simmer very slowly for 15 minutes, then remove the candied zest from the syrup and let it drain on a wire rack.When drained cut it into thin strips and toss it in the additional sugar. Let sit for a half hour or longer before using as a garnish.

Note: This candied zest can be stored in the sugar for several weeks in a mason jar.
Don't throw out the sugar! Use it to make lemon shortbread cookies or when making lemon pound cake. The syrup can also be stored for a couple of weeks. Use it to brush on a lemon pound cake or even as a delicious substitute for maple syrup on blueberry pancakes.

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