This looks a lot more complicated than it really is. You can make the crust – do something else, make the filling, do something else. Then make the cheesecake part and put it all together.
Crust Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 c crushed lemon cream-filled sandwich cookies (Girl Scout cookies – hint, hint)
- 2 Tab sugar
- 1/4 c butter, melted
Lemon filling Ingredients:
- 2/3 c plus 2 Tab sugar
- 5 Tab cornstarch
- 1 c water
- 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 1/3 c lemon juice
- 2 Tabs butter
- 1 tsp grated lemon peel
Cheesecake layer Ingredients: :
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1/2 c lemon juice
- 3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
- 3/4 c sugar
- 1 c heavy whipping cream, whipped
- 2 tsp grated lemon peel
Crust Directions:
- Preheat oven 350°.
- Combine the cookie crumbs and sugar; stir in butter.
- Press onto the bottom of a lightly greased 9-in. springform pan.
- Place on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until crust just begins to brown.
- Cool pan on a wire rack.
Lemon filling Directions:
- In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch.
- Stir in water until smooth.
- Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly.
- Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
- Remove from the heat.
- Stir a small amount of hot filling into egg yolks.
- Return all to pan, stirring constantly.
- Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
- Remove from the heat.
- Gently stir in the lemon juice, butter and peel.
- Cool to room temperature without stirring.
Cheesecake Directions:
- In a small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over lemon juice;.
- Let stand for 1 minute.
- Heat over low heat, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
- Remove from the heat.
- In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar.
- Gradually beat in gelatin mixture until combined.
- Fold in the whipped cream and lemon peel.
Assembly Directions:
- Spoon three-fourths of cheesecake mixture into crust;.
- Build up edges slightly.
- Chill for 5 minutes.
- Spoon lemon filling over cheesecake layer to within 1/2 in of edges.
- Top with remaining cheesecake mixture.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Carefully run a knife around edge of pan; remove sides of pan.
- Refrigerate leftovers.
Serves: 12
Source: © Taste of Home 2014 Karen Chesnut, Clarksburg, California
Villa Park Women’s League – GOURMET – March 15, 2014