lemon curd cheese cake

About the food:

This is a classic lemon cheesecake, with the sweetness of cheese and the sourness of the lemon, deliciously mingled together. I got this recipe from a cheesecakes recipe book published by the Women's weekly book series. My husband gifted that to me last week, and the book is absolutely fantastic. I liked this cake instantly, and thought I would give him a surprise when he comes back home today. But a point of concern, the cake is little too big for a family sized 3, counting my 4 yrs kid: its full of cheesy wickedness...not for someone trying to diet! I think I have to invite friends over tomorrow.

Preparation time: 45mins
cooking time: 1hr

Ingredients:

Base:
250gm digestive biscuits
125 gm melted butter

Filling:
750gm cream cheese, room temperature
2 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 eggs

Lemon curd:
45gm butter
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
2 tbsp lemon juice

Method:
1. Crush the biscuits to a fine powder in a food processor/ grinder. Mix the butter with it, and press it evenly on the base and sides of a spring form cake tin. The spring form tin, whose base can be detached from the sides, is very convenient to get the shape of the cake.Keep it the freeze to set for 30 mins.

2.The filling:
Put the cheese, butter, lemon rinds and sugar in a bowl and mix them with a hand processor until it is smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.

3. Pre-heat oven. Put the filling into the cake base and bake for 1 hr at 140-150 deg C.

4.The curd:
Mix the butter, egg, sugar, lemon rind and the juice in a heat proof bowl. boil water in a small pan, and put the heat proof bowl on top of it, covering it entirely, so no steam can escape. Take care the base of the bowl does not touch water.Stir the mixture over simmering water on a low flame for about 20 mins, or until a smooth thick paste is formed. Set aside and let it cool.

5.Take the cake out from the oven. It should be firm to touch. Let it cool. Pour over the lemon curd evenly on top, take it out of the spring form tin, and chill for about 3 hrs.