Cookie-Crumb Crust

• 6 1/4 oz. Barnum Animals Crackers (3 boxes) or Social Tea Biscuits
• 3Tbsp+2tsp sugar
• 5 Tbsp butter

Filling

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1Tbsp+1tsp grated lemon zest
• 1/4cup+1Tbsp lemon juice - approx 2 lemons
• 30 oz. cream cheese - 1 in. chunks at room temp for 30-45 min.
• 5 large eggs - room temp
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2cup+2Tbsp heavy cream

Lemon Curd

• 1/3cup+1Tbsp+1tsp lemon juice - approx 2 lemons
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2Tbsp+1tsp butter - cut into 1/2 in cubes and chilled
• 1Tbsp+1tsp Tbsp heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch salt

Crust

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 deg.
2. In food processor large bowl,process cookies to fine, even crumbs, about 30 sec. Add sugar and pulse 2 or 3 times to incorporate. Add warm melted butter in slow, steady stream while pulsing. Pulse until mixture is evenly moistened and resembles wet sand, about 10 1 sec pulses.
3. Transfer mixture to 10-inch springform pan,using bottom of glass to press firmly into pan bottom, keeping sides clean. Bake until fragrant and golden brown, 15 to 18 min. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 30 min.
4. Wrap cooled pan with a layer of 18 inch heavy-duty foil shaped up the sides. Place springform pan in roasting pan.

Filling

1. While crust is cooling, process 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest in food processor small bowl until sugar is yellow and zest is broken down, about 15 sec. scraping down bowl if necessary. Transfer lemon sugar to small bowl, stir in remaining 1 1/4 cup sugar.
2. With mixer beat cream cheese on low to break up and sofen slightly , about 5 seconds. With machine running , add sugar mixture in slow steady stream; increase speed to medium and continue to beat until mixture is creamy and smooth, about 3 min., scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed.
3. With mixer on med-low add eggs 2 at a time; beat until incorporated, about 30 sec, scraping sides and bottom of bowl well after each addition. Add lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix until just incororated, about 5 sec. Add heavy cream and mix until just incorporated, about 5 sec. Give batter final scrape, stir with rubber spatula, and pour into prepared springform pan.
4. Fill roasting pan with enough hot tap water to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until center jiggles slightly, sides just start to puff, surface is no longer shiny, and instant read thermometer inserted in center of cake registers 150 deg, approx 60 min.
5. With cake and water bath remaining in oven, turn off oven and prop open oven door slightly. Allow to cool for 1 hour. Transfer springform pan without foil to wire rack; run small paring knife around inside edge of pan to loosen sides of cake and cool cake to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Lemon Curd

1. While cheesecake bakes, heat lemon juice in small nonreactive saucepan over med heat until hot but not boiling.
2. Whisk eggs and yolks in medium nonreactive bowl, gradually whisk in sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot lemon juice into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan and cook over med heat stirring constantly until mixture registers 170 deg on instant read thermometer, about 3 min. The curd should cling to the spoon and leave a slowly filling in trail when scraped on the bottom of the pan. A wide clear trail on the pan bottom indicates over cooking. Immediately remove pan from stove.
3. Stir in cold butter until incorporated; stir in cream, vanilla, and salt, then pour curd through fine mesh strainer into small nonreactive bowl. Cover surface of curd directly with plastic wrap, refrigerate until needed.

Final Assembly

1. When cheesecake is cool, scrape lemon curd onto cheesecake while still in springform pan. Using offset icing spatula, spread curd evenly over top of cheesecake. Cover pan tightly with foil and refrigerate at least 4 hours up to 24 hours.
2. To serve remove sides of springform pan and cut into wedges. Be sure to cut down through crust, which is quite hard, before removing pieces.

Serves: 12-16
Source: Cook's Illustrated May/June 2003