Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy

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Meyer lemons were originally imported from China from way back, until they were cultivated more recently in places like California. The slight orange colour of these lemons can be explained by mandarin orange in them. A cross of lemon and mandarin orange make for a less acidic lemon with a sweeter taste. 100 things to do with a Meyer lemon

My Meyer lemons were made into a lemon curd and that curd was spread over a New York Cheesecake. This made for a great Valentine's day treat. I dusted off my Frugal Gourmet cookbook and found the recipe for New York Cheesecake that never fails to please. I'll pass this along to you:

Cheesecake, New York Style

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons melted butter

1 ½ cups sour cream

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 pound cream cheese, broken into small pieces

Blend the cracker crumbs, ¼ cup sugar, and ¼ cup melted butter, and line the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch un-greased spring-form pan.

Blend sour cream, ½ cup sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a food blender for 1 minute. Add the cream cheese. Blend until smooth.

Pour 2 tablespoons melted butter through the top of the machine. Pour into the spring-form pan.

bake the lower third of a 350 oven for 45 minutes.

When baking is finished, remove from oven, and turn oven on to broil. Broil the cheesecake until the top begins to show attractive spots of brown.

Refrigerate for 4 hours, preferable overnight, before cutting and serving.

The cheesecake does mellow and the flavours meld quite nicely, if left like the last line of the recipe says.

For the curd, squeeeeeeeze lemons, in this case Meyer lemons!

Lemon Curd

6 oz. fresh lemon juice, strained

9 oz. sugar

3 oz. butter

3 oz. heavy cream

6 eggs

zest of a lemon

pinch of salt

Boil the lemon juice, sugar, butter, salt and heavy cream in a saucepan. Place eggs in a bowl and whisk to loosen them. Temper the hot mixture into the eggs. Add back to the saucepan and bring back to a boil over med. heat until thickened. Strain, add zest. place container of lemon curd in a ice bath with plastic wrap directly touching the surface of the curd (no skin formation this way.) Refrigerate.

Spread the lemon curd over the cheesecake evenly, chill a bit longer. Then, it is only fair if you serve it!


When the world gives you Meyer lemons....Make Meyer Lemon Cheesecake!