Lemon Swirl Cheesecake

  • Prep 25 min
  • Total 24 hr 55 min
  • Servings 10

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 2 egg yolks, beaten
  • 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, cubed and softened
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
  • 1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream

Steps

  • 1
    Heat oven to 350°F. In small bowl, mix cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir in butter. Press evenly in bottom of 8x2-inch springform pan. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until set. Cool completely.
  • 2
    Meanwhile, in 1 1/2-quart saucepan, mix 1 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Stir in water, lemon juice and egg yolks. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat. Reserve 1/2 cup lemon mixture. Stir cream cheese and lemon peel into remaining 1 1/2 cups lemon mixture until smooth. Press plastic wrap on surfaces of each mixture (this helps prevent a "skin" forming on top). Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until cool.
  • 3
    In chilled small bowl, beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture; pour over baked layer. Drop reserved lemon mixture by tablespoonfuls onto cheesecake. Cut through dollops of lemon mixture, using knife, to form swirls.
  • 4
    Refrigerate at least 24 hours or until set. Run metal spatula along side of cheesecake to loosen; remove side of pan. Refrigerate any remaining cheesecake.

  • Why it Works: Egg on Your Face As proteins (think little springs) are heated, their structure changes. Add a little heat and proteins start to unwind and connect with neighboring proteins. Add more heat and proteins start to recombine and solidify. You see this last step when you fry an egg. The egg white changes from liquid to solid in a process called coagulation. All proteins coagulate when heated, but the temperature at which they solidify changes depending on their surroundings. For example, in this recipe, egg yolks are cooked with sugar and lemon juice. Normally egg yolks coagulate between 149º F and 158º F. However, here the sugar interferes with the proteins when they try to recombine. The lemon juice’s acidity changes the protein’s structure, making it harder for the proteins to reconnect. Because of these added ingredients, egg yolks can be cooked at a higher temperature without turning into sweet scrambled eggs.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
350
Calories from Fat
210
Total Fat
23g
36%
Saturated Fat
14g
70%
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
110mg
37%
Sodium
190mg
8%
Potassium
90mg
3%
Total Carbohydrate
30g
10%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
25g
Protein
5g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
20%
20%
Vitamin C
2%
2%
Calcium
6%
6%
Iron
4%
4%
Exchanges:
1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 3 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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