Ingredients You’ll Need & Why It Works:

Cheesecake Crust:

Graham Crackers – Graham crackers, a widely recognized American classic, are available in popular flavors such as honey and cinnamon. These crackers are a common ingredient used as the base in cheesecake crusts. Through many test batches, I’ve discovered that honey graham crackers produce the most favorable crust, resulting in a delightful hint of sweetness from the honey.

Lotus Biscoff Cookies – To further complement the crust’s honey flavor, incorporating Lotus Biscoff (speculoos) cookies created a crust with a deliciously spiced cinnamon flavor profile that blends sweetness and spice perfectly.

Unsalted Butter – The addition of six tablespoons of melted butter was optimal for binding the ground honey graham crackers and Biscoff cookies into a crust. Combining these ingredients resulted in a moist crust with an ideal balance of sweetness, spice, and butteriness.

Cheesecake Batter:

Cream Cheese – Commercially produced cream cheese typically contains pasteurized milk, cream, cheese culture, and a type of stabilizer or thickener (such as locust bean gum, xanthan gum, guar gum, or carob bean gum) in its ingredient list. For optimal results, when selecting cream cheese for this recipe, ensure that it includes a stabilizer or thickener in its ingredients and be sure it’s in block form. These additives contribute to the thicker texture of the cream cheese, which is essential, as the absence of these stabilizing agents may result in excess moisture and improper setting of the cheesecake.

Heavy Whipping Cream – Heavy whipping cream typically comprises about 36% to 40% milk or butter fat. It plays an essential role in preparing this cheesecake, serving two primary purposes: (1) to impart its luxurious silky and smooth texture and (2) to facilitate egg coagulation, which helps to thicken the cheesecake properly.

Eggs – Egg yolks are an excellent natural emulsifier, as they contain a high amount of lecithin. This compound is essential in binding fats and liquids together in the cheesecake. Egg whites, on the other hand, are comprised primarily of protein and water, which gives structure to the cheesecake and helps it to set. In essence, these two components work in tandem to create a perfect cheesecake that’s both rich in flavor and texture.

Cornstarch – The addition of cornstarch to this cheesecake serves a dual purpose in ensuring the cake’s structural integrity and texture. Cornstarch functions as a stabilizer, reducing the likelihood of cracking while also thickening the cheesecake filling to create a firmer, more cohesive final product. These attributes are especially valuable when slicing the cake, as the firmer texture facilitates cleaner, more precise cuts.

Vanilla Extract – High-quality vanilla extract is essential for a well-balanced and flavorful cheesecake. It enhances the flavor nuances of the other ingredients and creates a more satisfying taste.

Superfine Sugar – Superfine sugar, also referred to as caster sugar, castor sugar, baker’s sugar, or ultrafine sugar, is distinguished by its finer sugar granules compared to regular granulated sugar. This characteristic makes it perfect for this cheesecake recipe as it dissolves more rapidly, resulting in a smoother texture to the final product. Additionally, sugar plays several other crucial roles in preparing this cheesecake for the best possible outcome — 1.) sugar prevents the proteins from cooking too quickly, which could lead to higher chances of your cheesecake curdling; 2.) It aids in the leavening process; 3.) It thins out the cheesecake batter, making it softer and lighter;
4.) Lastly, it provides the sweetness that makes the cheesecake delicious.

Lemon Juice – Lemon juice is a key ingredient when making a lemon cheesecake. Firstly, it interacts with the fat proteins in the cream cheese, assisting in the coagulation process of thickening the cheesecake. Additionally, the tanginess and tartness of the lemon juice infuse the cheesecake with a delightful flavor while also counterbalancing the richness of the cream cheese.

Lemon Zest – Another important element in creating lemon cheesecake is lemon zest. Lemon zest adds a more concentrated lemon flavor to the cheesecake. To further incorporate lemon essence into the cheesecake, combine freshly grated lemon zest with sugar in a bowl and rub them with your fingertips or a small spoon. This technique helps extract and release the natural oils from the lemon zest, infusing the sugar with a delightful burst of lemony goodness. As a result, adding this infused sugar to the cheesecake batter intensifies the lemon flavor.

Tips for Making Zesty Lemon Cheesecake:

Water Bath — This recipe requires a bain marie, a water bath. The steam generated from the water bath will cook the custard slowly and evenly, helping to prevent the custard from curdling, burning, and/or cracking. After many test iterations, I found that hot water builds steam quickly best.

Slow & Low Heat — The best way to ensure a successful cheesecake baking process is to gently bake it at a lower heat setting for an extended period. This technique also helps to prevent the cheesecake from curdling, cracking, and/or forming bubbles. While this method may require a longer baking time, it is undoubtedly worth the effort.

Air Bubbles & Cracks — To avoid the formation of air bubbles on top of the cheesecake, gently whisk the batter after adding in the eggs. Once the cheesecake batter has been poured into the springform pan, gently tap the pan against the counter 3-4 times to eliminate any bubbles. To further remove trapped air bubbles, gently rotate the pan back and forth with both hands holding the sides of the pan. By doing so, any trapped air bubbles in the batter will rise to the surface and disperse. This step ensures the cheesecake is free of as many air bubbles as possible before baking.

Prevent Soggy Crust — A fail-proof technique to prevent the cheesecake’s crust from becoming soggy involves placing a deep baking tray of hot water onto the oven’s bottom rack directly below the cheesecake. This method ensures that the condensation from the steam accumulates less in the foil than if the cheesecake was submerged directly in the water bath. This simple step guarantees perfect results every time.

Do Not Open The Oven — As tempting as it may be, refrain from opening the oven door when the cheesecake is baking, despite the temptation to do so. This action could drastically change the oven temperature, leading to the cheesecake’s sinking and/or cracking.

Cooling Cheesecake — Allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for one hour with the door slightly left ajar and the oven turned off. The residual heat will continue to bake the cheesecake gradually while also preventing any possible cracks due to abrupt temperature fluctuations. Cool the cheesecake to room temperature before wrapping and transferring it to the refrigerator to chill overnight. The overnight chill is essential to achieving the luxurious, silky-smooth texture of the cheesecake.