Dear Summer Cooks,
It's been a coon's age since we have had a baking recommendation for you here at the Dodo. Mind you, we have been baking, but just hum-drum stuff: Brownies, chocolate chip cookies, Skibo Castle Ginger Crunch, scones, lemon bars, chocolate sheet cakes; a couple of fancy chocolate tortes, but I didn't get any photos.
This lemon cheesecake was inspired by a really delicious marshmallow lemon cheesecake dessert at Coda. If you get up to Southwest Harbor, be sure to stop there and have a meal. The recipe is adapted from this cheesecake. The meringue is showy and really so darned good on it!
Crust:
1 cup flour
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
1 tablespoon lemon zest
a pinch of salt
As you would for shortbread, combine the flour and sugar and lemon zest, then work the butter in until it is crumbly and then press it into a 10 inch spring form pan. Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Filling:
20 ounces of cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons flour
2 eggs
2 egg yolks (save the egg whites for the meringue)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream
Heat the oven to 475 degrees. Butter the pan above the crust. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the salt and flour. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat in the heavy cream and the lemon zest. Pour the filling over the crust for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200 degrees and bake for another 30 minutes or so. It should be set in the center. Let it cool forever. Well, like 4 hours at least- it can't be warm, but it can be cold, so you could put it in the fridge and put the meringue on the next day, right before you eat it.
Meringue:
2 egg whites
pinch of salt
1/2 cup of sugar
Beat the egg whites with the salt until frothy; gradually add the sugar and stop beating when it's glossy and holds nice, stiff, showy peaks.
Spread it on your cheesecake and then caramelize the meringue with a torch. If you are lucky, your neighbor will have one in his garage that you can borrow.
