dessert:

lemon curd and blueberry cheesecake

Published 15th November 2017

Cheesecake has to be one of my favourite desserts, yet to make it really requires an occasion, as it is such a big dessert, it would probably go off before Aaron and I were to make our way through a whole cheesecake.

I have often thought about how I could incorporate a lemon tart (another favourite) and a cheesecake into one, and then I came across this recipe, which made my thoughts more of a reality. I had always pictured putting the lemon curd on the bottom and the cheesecake component on top but was never quite sure how it would work out. The answer, so simple, put the lemon curd on top of the baked cheesecake (duh!). Gingernut biscuits are a very underrated biscuit (did you know that Arnotts make 4 different types of this biscuit throughout Australia – trust me, my Dad has tried and tested all 4 of them – different ones for different state) and I think that they pair so well with lemon, so I have opted to use a combination of these and butternut snaps as the base.

 
 
 

Blueberries are fabulous fruit, just ask any child, however, I personally think they are much better in a smoothie, cake or muffin than fresh, as they give more flavour this way. I would much prefer to eat a strawberry, raspberry or blackberry fresh than a blueberry. Another bonus is that they are available all year round in the frozen version, which are just as good as the fresh, especially for baking. They pair very well with lemon and are a great addition to a cheesecake, hence why they made an appearance here.

I decided at the last moment to brûlée the top of the lemon curd, in case there wasn’t already enough sugar…it was well worth it.

Many cheesecakes are baked in a water bath to help prevent the top from cracking. If you wish, you can do this, but it will involve thoroughly wrapping the springform tin in foil to prevent the water seeping in, and even then, you may get leakage. For this recipe, as it is being topped with lemon curd, the cracks can easily be repaired.

If you like cheesecake, I highly recommend this! It is best made the day before to allow for flavours to infuse and for sufficient cooling time.

Enjoy xx

 
 
 
Lemon-Curd-and-Blueberry-CheesecakeNEW.jpg
 
Lemon-Curd-and-Blueberry-CheesecakeNEW2.jpg

 

Ingredients:

Crust

  • 1/2 packet ginger nut biscuits

  • 1/2 packet butternut snaps

  • 100g butter, melted

Filling

  • Zest of 1 lemon

  • 2 x 250g Philadelphia cream cheese

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 180g full cream natural yoghurt

  • 4 eggs

  • 1/4 cup lemon juice

  • 2 tsp vanilla essence

  • 1/2 cup cream

  • 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

  • 1 tbs icing sugar

Lemon Curd

  • 1/2 cup lemon juice

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 2 tbs butter

  • 1 tbs cream

  • 2 tbs castor sugar (for brûlée)

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.

  2. To make the base, place the biscuits into a food processor and blend until a coarse crumb forms. Add the melted butter and blend until it starts to come together. Place mixture into the base of a lined 24cm spring form tin.

  3. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the base is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

  4. To make the filling, place the cream cheese and lemon zest into a stand mixer and beat for about 30 seconds. Add the sugar and beat until creamy, 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the yoghurt and beat for a further 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the lemon juice, vanilla and cream and mix to combine. Pour mixture on top of the cooled base.

  5. Place the blueberries and icing sugar into a bowl and mix to combine (The icing sugar will help to prevent the blueberries from all falling to the bottom of the cheesecake mixture). Carefully sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the cheesecake mix, pressing some down if needed.

  6. Place the cheesecake into the oven, towards the bottom and bake for ~60 minutes or until the centre is slightly wobbly and the sides are firm. Allow the cake to cool for 1-2 hours in the oven. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the edge of the cake and allow it to cool completely at room temperature before placing it in the fridge.

  7. The lemon curd can be made in advance or it can be made while the cheesecake is cooking. Heat the lemon juice in a small pan over medium heat until just before it boils. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Gradually whisk in the sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot lemon juice into the egg mixture, then pour the mixture back into the pan. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until it is melted. Stir in the cream and vanilla. Pour the lemon curd through a sieve to ensure that you have a nice smooth curd.

  8. Place into an airtight jar or cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool or needed.

  9. Once the cheesecake is cool, spread the lemon curd over the top of the cheesecake, while still in the spring form tin. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

  10. Before serving, sprinkle castor sugar over the top of the lemon curd and brûlée using a blow torch to caramelise the sugar.

  11. Serve as is or with thick cream.