Lemon-Raspberry Cheesecake

My sister Janet is an amazing, self-taught chef. One of her super powers is putting together the finest ingredients and baking up a mouthful of joy. She bakes, she cooks and she shares. I love her.

This Lemon-Raspberry Cheesecake recipe has been slightly modified from the one she shared with me over 15 years ago. It has been a dessert that I bake for special occasions, such as my son Alex’s birthday. It is his favorite also.

So by this point, you should gather that of all the desserts my family asks me to bake, this one is right up there. But I will warn you this: Having this cheesecake in your house can be dangerous to your waistline. It is so easy to justify just a thin slice, as you walk by. (No plate or fork necessary, as I’m just going to slice it thinly and pop it, guiltlessly, into my mouth.) That’s all fine and good, until you count up the number of times you have done that over the span of the afternoon.. At least there is no dish to wash.

Lemon-Raspberry Cheesecake

Ingredients

Batter

For best results: Make sure your ingredients are room temperature. This ensures a smooth batter.

3 - 8 ounce bricks of cream cheese

4 eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar

Zest of 4 lemons, finely chopped

Lemon juice of 4 lemons, reduced to 1/4 cup

1/2 cup sour cream

Crust

1-1/2 cups coconut cookies, (or graham cracksers) ground into crumbs

1/3 cup melted butter

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Topping

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup red raspberry preserves

Fresh Raspberries

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream, well chilled

1-2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon instant vanilla pudding powder

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Beat all ingredients together in a well chilled stainless steel bowl until desired consistency is achieved.

Other Items You May Need

9” springform pan

Parchment Paper

Piping bag with star tip

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line your 9-inch springform pan with a circle of parchment paper.

Combine the cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl. Press mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan.

In a small saucepan, simmer the lemon juice until it is reduced to 1/4 cup.

Using a standing mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Add the eggs, beating thoroughly after each addition. Stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla, lemon zest and juice, until incorporated. Pour over the pie crust and smooth with spatula.

Bake until the center is set, about 50 minutes. While the cake bakes, and when it is almost done, prepare the sour cream topping. Mix together the sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl until smooth. Once you remove the baked cake from the oven, carefully pour this sour cream mixture over cheesecake starting from the sides of the pan and working your way to the center. Using a metal, off-set spatula, smooth the mixture out evenly. Bake in oven for another 5 minutes. If you want to use the raspberry preserves, first put 1/4 cup preserves in a heat proof measuring cup and warm in a microwave oven for 1 minute. Pour the warm jam through a sieve to remove the seeds. Then pour three rings of jam on the top of the sour cream topping. Using a blade of a knife or a metal spatula, draw the blade from the center to the outer edge, through the jam. Then reverse the direction, and draw the blade through the jam from the outer edge to the center. Repeat this process all the way around the top, creating a pattern. Bake the cheesecake for another 10 minutes, to set the top.

Allow to cool completely in pan. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight, before serving. After well chilled, remove from springform pan. Release the band, and run a thin knife around between the band and the outside of the cake. Remove the band, exposing the base of the pan. Cake should release easily from the base. Peel the parchment paper from the bottom as you place the cake onto a serving platter or cake stand. Finish the cake by topping by piping the whipped cream around the edge, and placing fresh raspberries.