Lemon Cheesecake

The most amazing, heavenly cheesecake I have ever made and quite possibly eaten. Yes, I am saying that this cheesecake could rival that found at The Cheesecake Factory. There can be NO cutting corners on this recipe. That is the key to making a heavenly cheesecake, to follow the instructions precisely. From Our Best Bites.

Lemon Cheesecake
Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

2 cups packed vanilla creme cookie crumbs (about 24 Golden Oreos)
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 8-ounce packages full-fat cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/2 cup strained freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest (zest the lemon(s) first and then juice them)
3 cups full-fat sour cream

TOPPING:

1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed strained lemon juice
Optional: 1-2 drops yellow food coloring

Instructions:

Use a food processor, blender, or a heavy-duty Ziploc bag and a rolling pin to crush the cookies into crumbs. Mix with the melted butter and lightly press it into a 9″ springform pan. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375.

In the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer (or in a large bowl using a hand-held electric mixer), beat the cream cheese until softened and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating completely after each addition. Add the sugar, salt, extracts and beat until smooth. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and sour cream and beat until light, fluffy, and completely combined (be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl–sometimes a film of cream cheese will form and then lead to lumpy batter). Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

If you’re concerned about the springform pan leaking (and really, I think you should be at least a tiny bit worried), wrap the pan in heavy-duty foil or a turkey roasting bag. Place the pan in a larger roasting or baking pan. Use a pitcher or tea kettle to carefully pour water into the larger pan so it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 35-55 minutes or until the center is firm yet jiggly (like a custard or Jello). Turn off the oven and crack open the door. Let the cheesecake cool until the pan can be comfortably handled (about 1-2 hours) and then remove the pan from the water bath and allow it to cool completely on a completely flat surface.

Carefully wrap the pan in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours (preferably overnight).

When ready to serve, carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of strained, freshly squeezed lemon juice. Carefully spread it over the top of the chilled cheesecake. Using a sharp knife and wiping it clean after each cut, cut the cheesecake into slices and serve immediately. Makes 10-12 servings (or 8 or so monstrously sized servings).