Close
Current temperature in Boston - 62 °
BECOME A MEMBER
Get access to a personalized news feed, our newsletter and exclusive discounts on everything from shows to local restaurants, All for free.
Already a member? Sign in.
The Bay State Banner
BACK TO TOP
The Bay State Banner
POST AN AD SIGN IN

Trending Articles

Wellness expo brings community support to Roxbury residents

Sarah-Ann Shaw, Boston's reporting legend, 90

Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey honors first African American Master Distiller’s legacy

READ PRINT EDITION

Queen of tarts: Lemon Mousse Cheesecake tastes like springtime

By the Editors of Relish Magazine
Queen of tarts: Lemon Mousse Cheesecake tastes like springtime
(Photo: Photo: Relish Magazine)

Looking for a perfect dessert for your Easter dinner? Try this Lemon Mousse Cheesecake. It’s super-creamy and a bit tart and, topped with slices of fresh lemon, so very pretty.

The filling is on the light side, due to the beaten egg whites that are folded into the batter.

When baking the cake, be sure to use a water bath (bain marie) to temper the heat, help create a soft, creamy filling, and prevent the top from cracking. Without the water bath, the filling will be firmer — more like traditional cheesecake.

If the top happens to crack, despite your best efforts, just pile on fresh lemon slices in the form of a flower. No one will be the wiser, and you’ll have created a dessert that’s as lovely as it is tasty.

For the crust:

  • 5 tablespoons melted butter
  • 40 vanilla wafers, crushed, or 8 graham crackers, crushed (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • ¼ cup sugar

For the filling:

  • 24 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 1⁄3 cups sugar, divided
  • 1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
  • ¾ cup lemon juice (about 4 lemons)

Preheat oven to 325F. Wrap aluminum foil around the outside bottom of a 10-inch springform pan.

To prepare crust, combine all ingredients. Stir well and press into pan.

Combine cream cheese and 1 cup sugar; beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add flour, egg yolks, lemon rind and juice; beat until smooth.

Beat egg whites, with clean beaters, until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1⁄3 cup sugar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into lemon batter. Pour batter into crust.

Place pan in a large baking pan. Add water to baking pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake about 55 minutes, until cake is set but still jiggly in the center. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

To decorate, ring the top of the cake along the outside edge with thin half-moon slices of fresh lemon. Work around the cake in concentric circles, overlapping the slices to form a flower shape.

Serves 20