Easy Lemon Cheesecake Recipe – Fresh, Tangy, and Perfectly Creamy

A lemon cheesecake is one of the best desserts you can make all year round, thanks to the availability of its key ingredient – lemons – throughout the year. In fact, this humble ingredient is also very versatile in terms of its use in desserts alone. For example, lemon granita is a perfect summer dessert, but when paired with cream and milk in pies and meringues, makes for sweet and sharp winter tidbits.

If you have been wanting to make a lemon cheesecake but have been confused about which recipe to opt for, this easy lemon cheesecake recipe will guide you to making a simple lemon cheesecake that is fresh, tangy, and perfectly creamy.

This cheesecake balances the lemon flavor with creaminess from the cheesecake and crunch from the digestive biscuit crust. It is a perfect dessert for nostalgic events like winter picnics or day trips.

Easy Lemon Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 201 gm digestive biscuits (crushed coarsely)
• 102 gm sugar
• 63 gm butter
• 604 gm cream cheese
• 201 gm sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 241 ml sour cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• Whipped cream

Method:

1. For the crust, you have to preheat your oven to 180°C.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the digestive biscuit crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted unsalted butter until you get a wet sandy mix. It can have a few coarse pieces for texture.
3. Then, you can press the crust mixture evenly and firmly into a springform pan and place a stack of smaller springform pans on top as weights.
4. After that, you can bake the crust for 10 to 12 minutes or until it is lightly browned and let the crust cool completely in the pan.
5. For the cheesecake, you have to beat cream cheese into a smooth and creamy texture, add granulated sugar, and beat it until well mixed.
6. Now, you can beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is well incorporated before adding the next and beat in grated lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
7. In another bowl, you need to whisk together sour cream and vanilla extract and beat the sour cream mixture into the batter until well combined.
8. Next, you have to pour the cheesecake batter over the crust in a prepared pan and smoothen the top.
9. After that, you should bake the cheesecake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is just slightly jiggly.
10. Then, you need to let the cheesecake cool in the pan for 1 hour and then run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake to release it from the pan.
11. Now, you have to let the cheesecake cool completely on a wire rack and once it is cool, you have to refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight.
12. To serve the cheesecake, you can slice it into thin pieces and serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.

To give a further depth of flavor to your cheesecake, you can add a teaspoon of lemon extract or a pinch of salt into the batter. You could place a larger pan filled with water within which you put the cheesecake pan because this kind of water bath helps cook it evenly and prevents it from cracking. You can consider a mixture of nuts and even coconut flakes to substitute the graham cracker crust for a gluten-free dish.

Fresh lemons add great zest to baked goods like cheesecakes. They add brightness and a citrusy flavor along with a burst of freshness in desserts. Lemons are also an excellent addition to moisten and tenderize baked goods.

A classic crust for cheesecakes can be made with digestive biscuits because they provide cheesecakes with a nice and crumbly texture and adds a sweet, malty flavor to them. It's also a fantastic way to stabilize and give structure to cheesecakes so that they can be sliced easily and served.

While cooking this recipe, you need to bake slowly and evenly so as to not crack the cheesecake. Additionally, you have to allow it to chill so that the flavors set in. You can prepare it in advance for any gathering, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Just before serving, you need to dust it with some powdered sugar to accentuate its freshness and flavors.