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Instead of cake for his birthday, my husband asked me to make him a cheesecake with a tart lemon topping similar to the Lemon Cream Cheese pie they serve at Marie Callender’s. My wonderful son gave me a mini cheesecake pan for Christmas, so this was the perfect opportunity to give it it’s maiden voyage.
Jenny at Picky Palate is always creating fabulous desserts with her mini cheesecake pan. So I adapted her Shortbread Cookie Crusted Peanut Butter Mini Cheesecakes with Chocolate Ganache to create luscious lemon mini birthday cheesecakes. These little beauties were a wonderful combination of sweet and tart, creamy and crunchy. I bet you can’t eat just one!
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Mini Cheesecake with Lemon Curd
Ingredients
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (1 package)
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- 2 8 oz packages cream cheese softened
- ½ Cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons sour cream
- Pinch of salt
- LEMON CURD
- 3 large egg yolks
- Zest of ½ lemon
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cut into pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300º. In a medium bowl, combined graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Spoon a heaping Tablespoon of crust into each mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin tin. With fingers or round end of a wooden spoon, press crust down evenly.
- In a stand or electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until well combined. Add in eggs one at a time following with the vanilla, sour cream, pinch of salt. Mix until just combined.
- Fill each crust filled cup ¾ way full of cheesecake batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until cheesecake is set. Remove from oven and let sit in pan at room temperature for 30 minutes before removing. Transfer mini cheesecakes to a cooling rack to cool completely, another 30 minutes or so.
- Refrigerate until serving. To serve spoon lemon curd over each cheesecake.
- LEMON CURD
- Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Set over medium heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Remove saucepan from heat. Add the butter, one piece at a time, stirring with the wooden spoon until consistency is smooth.
- Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to avoid a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Let cool; refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour. Store, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 2 days.
- If you want to bake a bigger version of this cheesecake in a springform pan, I loved Abbey’s Infamous Cheesecake I made last year for the Daring Bakers challenge and then top it with the lemon curd recipe.
PheMom
The lemon cream cheese at Marie's is my absolute favorite too! It is just sooooo good – your little mini's look ah-ma-zing!
preventionrd
I must make these! Ahh! They look delicious, Barbara! I want to make everything you post! TROUBLE!! : )
teresa
oh these are just naughty! i'm in love with that shiny lemon curd on top, delicious!
Kat
I like cheesecake, but not the calories so the mini version is a nice way to get a perfect portion. Looks wonderful!
Megan
Those are just adorable! I love my mini cheesecake pan and should really try to use it more. I love the look of that lemon curd! 🙂
Katherine Aucoin
I'm going to have to hint aroubnd for one of these pans! This is a very elegant dessert and something I would really enjoy for my birthday!
Momgateway
What a lovely dessert!
QIS
this mini cake looks beautiful and delicious! i love both cheese cake and lemon curd:).
Anncoo
This looks so fabulous and perfect!
Jamie
Stunning, Barbara! And I usually do not like cheesecake but topped with this luscious tart lemon topping WOWEE I could really wolf down one of these babies! You are too talented!
Um…my birthday is in less than 10 days…would you….?
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
These are to die for! I love the glossy lemon curd on the top, it looks very tempting. I have used my graham cracker crumbs in something else but am posting it after "you know what"! By the way, google follower seems to have logged me out of loads of sites including yours but I am back in there now. I was still reading you via google reader so hadn't noticed.
April
I love this pan too!! These little babies look just perfect!!
Cathy
Oh yum, I love the combination of lemon and cheesecake! Your little cakes are perfect, Barbara, and so beautiful on a plate.
Ninette
It's so cute! I love cheesecake and lemon curd.
Mamatkamal
Oh lalalala that's one perfect mini-cheese cake, I love it!
You're amazing
Cheers
Anita
The lemon curd is perfectly placed. good portion sizes too.
Katy ~
Barbara, Barbara, Barbara, this is one outstanding bite! Beautiful and delicious!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
That looks phenomenal mum! And it's portion controlled which is just perfect should one be tempted to have 2 or 3 which is no doubt inevitable 🙂 xxx
Heavenly Housewife
How wonderful, I bet your husband was so happy! Who could not adore these gorgeous little cheese cakes???? Happy birthday to your hubbs.
*kisses* HH
Diane {createdbydiane.blogspot.com}
Oh YUM! That looks fantastic, wish I had one, I'm sure it's delicious!