Tangy little lemon cheesecakes
“Oil, fibre, vitamins and juice give lemons a big role in the kitchen.”
For the pastry
- 225g plain flour
- 180g butter, chopped
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 2 tbsp iced water
- 1 egg yolk
For the filling
- 500g cream cheese (room temperature)
- 110g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest, finely grated
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- Icing sugar, to serve
- Vanilla bean ice-cream, to serve
If you are short on time, make these cute desserts with purchased shortcrust pastry.
For the pastry
Combine flour, butter and icing sugar in the bowl of a food processor and whiz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add water and yolk and process briefly until mixture just comes together. Remove and shape into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Roll pastry out on a lightly floured bench and cut six circles about 12cm in diameter. Gently press into 10 cm pastry tins, trim excess with a sharp knife and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Blind bake at 190C for 15 minutes, remove paper and weights and bake for a further 5 minutes. Cool slightly.For the filling
Mix cheese, sugar, vanilla, juice and zest in a medium bowl until smooth. Add eggs and mix until smooth. Spoon mixture into pastry shells and bake at 170C for 20-25 minutes or until just firm to touch.
To serve
Sprinkle cheesecakes with icing sugar before serving and accompany with vanilla-bean ice-cream.
Makes 6.