Different Super Easy Lemon Cheesecake Recipes

 For some reason the easy cheesecake is something that every aspiring home chef seems to have troubles with at one point or another. There are many copycat restaurant recipes that are so difficult to find and a few common problems baking the super easy lemon cheesecake recipes, include large cracks , darkened top, clumpy filling, collapsed middles and the awing shrinking cheesecake (cake shrinks near the outside).

Some of these problems tend to leave when the cheesecake is constructd and baked properly.

Before you get cooking , a little science if you please. Alot of the issues discussed above all stem from an improper baking procedure . That normally is because everyone treat the recipe as if it was for a cake. But the fact is, cheese cake is very similar to a custard pie than it is to a basic cake recipe. So, that means we need to work and cook the ingredients not the same .

Leading off with  is the pan. Many people recommend using a spring form dish but I don’t choose them. The reason will become apparent when we get into the baking process. For now locate a 9 inch circular cake pan with very high sides (at least 2 inches). We first need to treat the pan so we can get the cooked cheesecake out after . For that, melt some butter and with a brush, baste the whole inside of the pan . Next , using parchment paper, cut out a circle for the backside of the pan and a long rectangle for the side. Once the waxed paper  has been added to the pan, we can focus on the crust.

Some people like a cookie crumble crust but I choose good old graham crackers. I take about two dozen and place them in a plastic ziptop bag. Using my fingers only, I crush them for atleast 30 seconds to a minute . Some big chunks are ok. Now , melt one quarter cup of unsalted butter and add the cracker crumbs to it along with 1 table spoon of sugar. Combine with a spatula briefly and place into the bottom of the dish . Next get a heavy glass with a flat bottom or other tamping tool (the kind used to flatten meat works supurb ). You will want to tamp down all the crumbs in the pan so they stick to each other and help the crust form. Bake the crust blind for Ten minutes at three hundred degrees.

Now comes the filling. Before you began working on the pan preparation , you should have grabbed the cream cheese out of the refridgerator and put it on the counter to soften (at least thirty minutes or so). You are also going to need 1.25 cups of sour cream , 1 cup of sugar, one third cup of cream (whipping or heavy), 1 tbs. of vanilla, five large eggs, one quarter cup of lemon juice, the zest of one lemon, and one table spoon of cornstarch (optional).

Now , the mixing of the batter is important. We want everything combined well but you do not want to add any air into the batter. Air is commonly the problem when a cheesecake falls or has a sunken center. So, the best tool in my ruling is the Kitchenaid stand mixer (or your favorite brand).

To begin , place the sour cream in the mixing bowl and using the paddle attachment, beat on medium low for a minute. Now add the cream cheese , the sugar and the optional cornstarch. The cornstarch acts to help slow down the binding of the eggs in the custard which prevents cracking. Think of it as a little extra insurance. If you follow this recipe you should not need it but if this is your first time trying this recipe, you may want to consider adding it.

So, now we beat this premix on low speed for one minute. Then turn up the speed to medium for a few more minutes. Stop the machine and scrape the bowl. Next, in a container mix the one third cup of cream, vanilla, 2 large eggs, 3 egg yolks, lemon juice and lemon zest. Mix this up well with a fork.

Put the mixer on medium low speed and slowly drizzle in half of the cream and egg mixture. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl again. Start it again but this time on medium high speed and add the remaining egg mixture. Continue mixing for about one more minute. The batter should be uniform (no lumps) and not airy.

Next , the baking . Pre heat the oven to 250 degrees. Remember when you baked the crust blind. Well, we want to put the batter to the pan but first make sure the crust is completely cool (let it cool out of the oven for at least fifteen minutes). Add the batter to the pan. Give the pan a few little twists left and right to help any air bubbles come to the top.

At the same time, boil at least 2 quarts of H2O (the amount will depend on your pan size). You need to create what’s known as a “bain marie” (Marie’s bath). If you have another cake pan that is a few inches larger?  in diameter use that. If not, a disposable aluminium baking dish works well too (the kind for lasagna or roasting). Add a clean towel to the bottom of the large pan and precede into the oven. Add the cheesecake pan into the bigger pan and carefully push it aside . Next , with kid gloves add the boiling water into the larger pan. Pour enough to come up two thirds the way up the cheesecake pan.

Now , gently ,  center the cheese cake pan in the larger pan and close the oven. Bake at ewo hundred fifty for an hour. Here’s the hard part. After an hour the cake will not looked cooked. But the problem is you do not want to overcook the cheese cake . So, open the oven door for about thirty secs. to let some heat escape. Next , close the door and leave the cake alone for another hour. After that, carefully take the cake pan out of the water pan and place into a fridge for 6 hours.

Finally we have cheesecake. There are some minor tumbling necessary to get the cake out of the pan. First, fill your sink half way up with hot water directly from the tap (the hottest it will go). Now , let the pan float in the sink for 15 seconds . Now take it out and put it on a towel. Using a sharp thin knife gently trace around the outside of the pan and then carefully remove the waxed paper from the side of the pan. Now , take some wax paper and cut a circle the same size as the cheese cake . Place the wax paper on top of the cheesecake. Place a round plate or the bottom from a spring form pan on top of the cheesecake and gently but quickly invert it. Now remove the pan.

Ok, but now you are looking at the under side of the cheesecake . Take the waxed paper from the bottom. Pick what dish you will use to serve the cheesecake (or take a nice size bakers cake round). Put that on the bottom of the cheesecake and once again invert it carefully . Lastly, remove the wax paper from the top and slice your cheesecake .

If everything went ok you should have a delicious and beautiful lemony cheesecake that your friends and family will thought you purchased . And you know what, if the top does crack, who cares. That’s why they fabricated whipped cream! Right?

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