4/22/10

Lemon Curd Marbled Cheesecake



Well, I just finished 1½ hours on the treadmill
. Oops. Typo. I meant, I just finished half a cheesecake for lunch.
I developed a craving for a simple lemony dessert, something befitting my simple tastes. And on a fickle whim, I went with Lemon Curd.

Then, Thumper upped the ante by claiming I hadn't made his favorite cheesecake "in like, forever." And the idea for a cheesecake, infiltrated with amorphous blobs of lemon curd was born. Far be it from me to impugn his request...


I  cut out individual servings  from the chilled 9-inch cheesecake with a biscuit cutter,  in the hopes that  no temptation would befall my diet, and overall good intentions.  Is my sarcasm showing?

By the way, the (botanically-incorrect) hyacinth on the plate was made by rolling fondant into an egg shape, if you will. Next, the stem and leaves were added. Then I cut out gazillions of tiny flowers and glued them onto the fondant egg with a paste made from Gum Arabic.
(If you're convulsing in your chair  because you don't know what the hell kind of thing I speak of, then forget about  the Gum Arabic,  and use Royal icing instead).

Actual size not shown.


Lemon Curd Marbled Cheesecake with Blueberry Sauce

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup  packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
14 tablespoons  unsalted butter, diced

Lemon Curd:

4 large egg yolks
½ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
3 ounces lemon juice
4 tablespoons (2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
Pinch  salt

Filling:

1 pound cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
½ cup sour cream
3 large eggs, room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Blueberry Sauce:

1 pint fresh blueberries
¼  cup  sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice


Preparation

Crust: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter and vanilla extract, and process until a dough forms. Press the dough into a 9-inch Springform pan and bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until it just begins to turn color.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Lemon Curd:
In a heavy  saucepan, beat the  egg yolks and sugar until blended. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Don’t allow the mixture to boil or it will curdle.  Press a piece of wax paper right on the lemon curd, to prevent a crust from forming, and  set aside to cool. (If  lemon curd will not be used right away, cool completely, and then, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks).

Filling:
Combine  softened cream cheese, sour cream and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and process  until incorporated.
Pour half  of  the filling mixture in the prepared crust.  Spoon half the lemon curd onto the filling. With a knife,  swirl lemon curd through filling, taking care not to disturb the bottom crust. Repeat with the remaining cheesecake filling and lemon curd.
Bake in a 350° F oven until set, about 45 minutes. The  center should still jiggle when gently shaken.  Run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen, and allow  to cool, about 1 hour. Refrigerate uncovered cheesecake  for several hours. Then, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate  overnight.


Blueberry Sauce:
In a medium saucepan combine all ingredients and cook until   blueberries begin to break down and the sauce is slightly  thickened, about 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Enjoy. For tomorrow, some of us will recite  three hail Marys, followed by a strict diet...for the rest of us, there's always next Monday.

41 comments:

  1. Great typo LOL!!! That cheesecake looks to die for! I'm drooling...

    I have made a cheesecake for my good friend and it is waiting in the fridge since Wednesday (she is getting it tomorrow). So tempting, yet I can't eat it :-((((!

    Cheers and have a lovely Friday,

    Rosa

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  2. I ahve no clue what the heck you're talking about with sugary flowers but they sure are gorgeous! and you can bet if I tried, mine would look like weeds. No, not that weed. Look at the direction you send me in, Sol. Yes, occifer...

    That cake is fantastic, blobs of lemon curd included. I like that kid, Thumper, smart with very good taste!

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  3. Sublime:) I wait and wait for new posts from you:)

    Gratefully..the wait is worth it~
    I KNEW you had made those!

    Perfection..Everything.

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  4. Absolutely love the blobby cake! I've come to the conclusion that my own cakes are the small, brown potato equivalents to your beauties. The flowers are, as always, stunning. I'd attempt one but seem to have recently acquired a new set of thumbs... also couldn't find any gum arabic at the school bookshop ;(

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  5. Rosa, you're a truly wonderful friend! No cheesecake would ever be safe under my care.

    Carol, my friend, I think I know what I'm talking about, but even if I didn't, it wouldn't stop me. And I'm sorry I led you astray, I've always been terrible with directions.


    Monique, I know. And I'm hanging my head in shame. But I'll be forever grateful for your patience.

    Dear Dee, I hope to have your poetic edge in my next life. Although, I'm not so sure about the extra set of thumbs. But I'll bet they're great for texting.


    Have a great weekend my friends!

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  6. Anonymous23/4/10

    Hi, Marysol. This one takes the (cheese)cake, without question! I would never have thought about lemon curd and cheesecake with blueberries; the lemon complements both the cream cheese and the blueberries. Very clever.

    However, if I were being CHEEsecaKeY (cheeky, if I've not lost you in my case-induced pun), I'd ask why not a graham cracker crust? Or would a chocolate wafer crust be outright crazy? Just askin'....

    Yours,

    Dan

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  7. When I first opened this post I thought "Oh great! Someone else who's exercising to justify eating cheesecake!" -- and I was pee-ood for a few secs (cause I have no justification). Thankfully, I kept reading and found that you were just another cheesecake lover like me that needs no justification!

    Great looking and sounding cheesecake! Yum!

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  8. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around "simple." If all that is "simple" what do you consider complicated and can I have some? The recipe looks absolutely delicious and the representation is stunning.

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  9. Dear Dan, being cheesecake-y is a virtue in my world :-)
    And substituting a traditional graham, or chocolate crust, instead of a brown sugar crust would be just as delicious.
    But I'll let you in on a secret, I normally skip the crust altogether.
    Jeepers, I hope the Cheesecake Ethics Committee won't come after me.


    Sandy, thank you, and welcome to the "Supreme Cheesecake Alliance of Man" (SCAM)! Hmm, I think I might have to change that.


    But Laurel, it really is simple! In this recipe, you can do everything several days in advance, except for the filling. Believe me, my life is as unorganized as it appears.

    Thank you all very kindly!

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  10. Cheesecake is my favorite and that looks so good....Had a few hours to blog hop
    so glad that I stopped here....Be sure and stop by and read about a miracle in our family....
    http://teresa-grammygirlfriend.blogspot.com/2010/04/i-think-god-smiled.html
    http://grammyababychangeseverything.blogspot.com

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  11. Anonymous23/4/10

    I thought the flower was a Buddleia. Shows what I know. Regardless, it's still gorgeous (just like you!)! I've been considering something lemony-y (lemon custard cakes, or meyer lemon sorbet baked alaska ala Tartelette) lately. Of course you beat me to it, and outdid anything I could do, so now I won't do it for fear of not living up to you!

    -Rob333

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  12. Well one good thing, you got Carol to admit she is clueless! :)
    That looks heavenly..and I am sure it is so light it doesn't add one ounce to your weight, or tonnage in my case..
    The flowers are beautiful..
    3 Hail Mary's? Girl this is a whole Rosary and all the mysteries, plus a Novena..

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  13. I would gladly help finish the other half! Outside of chocolate, lemon desserts are my favorite. Oh my, this looks tempting and the only convulsing I do is over how much time it must take to make those gorgeous works of fondant art you make! Of course, you're a pro and it probably takes you no time at all.

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  14. I was convulsing in my chair when I read the bit about 1.5 HOURS on the treadmill because I knew your pants had gone up in smoke, you sweet liar.

    It really is lemon curd time tho hyacinth time is long over in Maryland. In fact I think I will go and have a spoonful of the yellow joy right now!

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  15. Your beautiful photos at Foodgawker led me to your site. Everything is so beautiful here, it has all kinds of elements to make one linger, ethereal treats, beautifully styled photos (the care you take is so evident),not to mention humorous pigs and frogs...I believe I can become a fan...

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  16. Marysol

    Visiting you is a poetic experience; I of course marvel at your taste and your amazing photographic artistry!
    That cheesecake sounds really really good!

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  17. Thanks so much for your comment and I'm so glad that I discovered your blog. The photography and writing is beautiful and you have such a way with styling! :D

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  18. Marysol un placer llegar a tu blog tan apetecible y con tanta clase, eres una artista!!!, me encantó llegar aquí desde la cocina de Amalia, seguiré visitándote.

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  19. Oh wow. This cheesecake looks fantastic. I love how the curd looks in the inside of the cheesecake. I also like that you used a different type of crust. The blueberry topping is a great addition as well! YUM! I'm bookmarking this recipe.

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  20. I love the idea of cutting out smaller cheesecakes with a biscuit cutter - that way I can have a whole cheesecake! As usual, you are a bona fide genius.

    Beautiful fondant work. Your inspiration may actually impel me to try it one day...

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  21. Thank you Teresa!


    Buddleia? Gee Rob, you have a funny way of spelling Hyacinth.
    Btw, Lemon Custard Cakes are on my list of Top Ten favorites.


    Kathleen, I figured between the shopping, baking, cleaning, and wrestling Thumper for the last piece of cheesecake, I burned 2500 calories. This allowed me to enjoy cheesecake without guilt.
    And I'm wrong...I don't want to be right.



    Dear Susan, you don't know how glad I am to know you're both, a chocolate and lemon person. Sister!


    Oh Maureen, the pants going up in smoke gave me the laugh I needed this Monday morning!


    Shirley, welcome, and thank you for a very lovely comment. And please, linger all you want!


    Beirut, I think I'll just give you a hug, if that's okay.


    Lorraine, welcome! I've also been enjoying your beautiful blog, with its lovely recipes and knock-out photography!


    Mar, bienvenida! Y te agradezco tu precioso comentario. Estaré visitando tu blog en un segundo.


    Memoria, thank you very kindly! If you ever make this, be generous with the lemon curd. The contrast between the two textures is pretty darn good.


    Lori, cutting out lilliputian servings is the only way to enjoy desserts with a clear conscience. Geeniuth, that's me.
    Btw, if you'll start playing with fondant, I'll try harder to blog more often.



    Thank you all for making a ho-hum Monday feel more like a bright and sunny Saturday!

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  22. Marysol, like you I love lemony food, and this cheesecake just fit right in it :-) What a lovely presentation...the pictures are stunning...

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  23. Que hermoso blog Más. te felicito!
    es de primera Vez Que Te visito.
    ONU Chile DESDE abrazo
    edith
    La Brujita

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  24. Oh my Lord, Marysol, you deserve all the cheesecake your heart desires just on the merit of your stunning sugar creations! They are so beautiful. And the cheesecake looks spectacular - can't wait to try it, especially on a hot DC summer night. Is it too Golden Girl-ish of me to think that everything is made better by cheesecake? Because it so totally is.

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  25. You are making me not crave for cheesecake cos after that I have to do 1.5hr of treadmill???? NO.
    I will still eat your cheesecake - such a gem :)

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  26. Treadmill, cheesecake - I get those two confused all the time, too.

    I might have to make this for my exercise tomorrow. :-)

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  27. Hear, hear!

    Thanks to our cheesecake society, for supporting the dairy and fitness equipment industries [G]

    Thank you friends. And have a wonderful weekend!

    Gracias amigas. Espero tengan un maravilloso fín de semana.

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  28. What a delicious looking cheesecake and the hyacenith? You are quite talented!

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  29. If it's for a friend, then I'm able to sacrifice myself ;-P! But cheesecake is irresistible...

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  30. Oh yea... id o that typo all the time! LOLOL (see what i mean)

    great looking cheesecake Mary. oh yum be dum!

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  31. What a gorgeous little cheesecake.

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  32. Anonymous6/5/10

    Hi, Marysol. I am giving you a Sunshine Award (the category could be "Best Manipulation of Marzipan in a Baking Blog"...). Stop by my site to read my review of your blog:

    http://islandeat.wordpress.com/.

    Yours,

    Dan

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  33. Haha to the typo. I'd take cheesecake over treadmills any day! :D

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  34. Thank you all for the wonderful comments! You're very kind.

    Dan, I'm so sorry I missed this! A bajillion apologies!

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  35. MARYSOL: So glad you stopped by my blog. I've been bad lately, not checking yours out:) Love love your cheesecake idea! You are very creative!

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  36. Marysol, your creations are always sooooo beautiful! :)

    Have a wonderful day, Margot

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  37. Hi Marysol,
    You are a girl after my own heart. Cheesecake vs. treadmill . . . cheesecake vs. treadmill--it's such a difficult choice, isn't it? Your lemony creation is delightful, and as always your photos are just so beautiful! Though I know about stuff like gum paste and do not fear it, I am still very impressed by the adorable faux hyacinths you made. Very pretty indeed.
    :) Jane

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  38. Jackie17/6/10

    Question!! What do I do with the 1/2 cup sour cream? Is that included in the "softened cream cheese and sugar" step??

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  39. I am so into anything with Lemon Curd...Treadmill schredmill, bring on the cheesecake!

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  40. Hi Marysol, your cheesecake is absolutely gorgeous! If I hadn't read your post I wouldn't have known it was made of sugar.Love it!

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  41. Hey there foodie brigade,

    Thank you all for your sweet words, and even sweeter emails!

    Jackie, thank you for nabbing the elusive sour cream. With heart in mouth, the correction has been made.

    Apologies to all who thought I had abandoned ship. It's been a heck of a tumultuous summer, but this ship ain't sunk.
    And I would like to express my appreciation for your love and patience. Hugs to all my friends.

    Thanks again, and please, reserve a cool, shady spot for me in the blogosphere, preferably with a nice cold drink—iced tea, beer, whatever. I'll humbly accept.

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