Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

 

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon melted butter

For the Cheesecake Filling:

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup white sugar

4 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup sour cream

4 large egg whites

⅓ cup white sugar

For the Blueberry Topping:

3 cups fresh or thawed frozen blueberries

⅓ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

For the Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.

Wrap an 18-inch square of aluminum foil around the outside bottom of the pan.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs and br own sugar together.

Stir in the melted butter until thoroughly blended.

Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 8 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a rack.

For the Cheesecake Filling:

Place the cream cheese in a mixing bowl and beat until creamy, about 2 minutes.

Gradually add 1 cup of sugar while continuing to beat. Make sure the sugar is thoroughly blended.

Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition.

Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, and sour cream until well blended.

In a separate clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

Gradually add 1/3 cup of sugar in a slow stream while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat.

Gently fold 1/3 of the meringue into the cream cheese mixture.

Repeat this process twice more with the remaining meringue, mixing carefully to avoid deflating the egg whites, until no meringue streaks remain.

Pour the filling into the prepared pan and place it in a large baking pan.

Pour hot (not boiling) water into the baking pan up to 1 inch on the sides of the springform pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until the top is almost set, which takes about 50-55 minutes.

Turn off the heat, prop the oven door open about 2 inches, and let the cake rest in the oven until completely set, which takes about 1 hour longer.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.

For the Blueberry Topping:

Place 1 cup of blueberries and sugar in a saucepan.

Cook over medium heat until the berries begin to break, which takes about 6-8 minutes.

While still hot, strain the berries through a sieve or cheesecloth placed over a bowl, reserving the juice.

Discard the berry pulp. Allow the juice to cool.

Mix the remaining 2 cups of blueberries and lemon juice together in a large bowl.

Stir in the strained blueberry juice.

Just before serving, pour the blueberry topping over the cheesecake.

Enjoy!