sunshine & a slice of cheesecake

The past few weeks have not resembled spring in the least. Just yesterday (May 3rd) I wore mittens as I biked to class.  Yes, mittens in May.  I don't normally complain too much about the weather, but I am longing for sunshine and blue skies so I can wear dresses and feel the warm rays on my skin. As I type this post, the sun is shinning brightly in the blue sky for the first time in a long time and it is lovely.  Maybe the weather knew I wasn't speaking so kindly of it and decided to cooperate.  Imagine that!

Despite the absence of spring weather, I have been doing springtime-like-things such as baking a lemon cheesecake. Typically, I am a chocolate chip or chocolate truffle cheesecake-type-of-girl, which is right on track with my chocoholic tendencies. But something about lemon just screams spring, so I gave this new recipe a try.  It couldn't have turned out better; no cracks in the cake and it wasn't dried out (two common cheesecake problems-see below for tips).  The actual cake had a subtle lemon flavor and the two ingredient topping made with Trader Joe's lemon curd and sour cream adds just the right amount of lemon zing. Maybe, if I bake a few more lemon recipes, the sun will be forced to shine around here. 

        

Luscious Lemon Cheesecake 
Crust:

Approx. 1½ cups lemon shortbread or sandwich cookies, crushed              

3 TBS. melted butter

Mix together and press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

Cake:

3-8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese-softened (can substitute 1 of the regular   cream cheeses with 1 Neufchatel.)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 large or two small lemons---will need the grated rind and the   freshly squeezed juice

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 300°. Beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth. Add lemon rind and juice and eggs; beat until mixture is smooth and creamy. Pour over crust. Bake 65-75 minutes or until internal temperature of cheesecake measures 145°-155°. Turn off oven and open the door, but do not remove cheesecake. Let cheesecake remain in oven for about an hour, so that it can cool slowly. After removing from oven, place on cooling rack until cooled completely. 
*Tip-place a casserole dish of water on lower oven rack during baking of cheesecake to provide added humidity and help prevent cracks from developing.

Topping

Lemon curd (I prefer Trader Joes Brand)

Low fat sour cream

Mix 1 cup sour cream with a few tablespoons lemon curd until smooth. Adjust amount of ingredients to achieve desired amount of zing. Spread on top of cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate.