Lemon Curd Cheesecake Slice
I have a weakness for a good cheesecake, but give it a gingernut biscuit base and a generous helping of lemon curd (or lemon butter), and I’m a goner. This lemon curd cheesecake slice has a buttery, gingery base and a creamy, baked cheesecake filling with lemon curd mixed right through it. It’s tangy and rich with just a little bit of sweetness.
I make it ahead, cut it into squares, and serve it up for dessert. I’d like to say that I’ve never eaten a piece standing at the kitchen bench, but we all know the truth!
If you’re new here, you might not know I also run a small online store where I keep many of the tools I cook with every day, along with a few timeless homewares for good, slow living…
Why you’ll love this lemon curd cheesecake
- Lemon curd in every bite. The curd goes into the cheesecake filling, rather than sitting only on top, and as someone who can eat lemon curd straight out of the jar, it’s a winner.
- The gingernut biscuit base. It’s buttery and gingery, and a super simple base to make. Two minutes in a food processor and it’s done.
- It’s the perfect make-ahead dessert. Us busy mums need recipes like these when life is chaos! Make it a day ahead – the slice needs at least six hours in the fridge, but is even better left overnight.
- Sharing is caring. Cut it into small squares for a bite-sized dessert or bigger, generous serves for single-size dessert portions.
Looking for a more festive cheesecake dessert? My Biscoff cheesecake slice is a great one to serve up over the festive season!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Gingernut biscuits: I love the little bit of spice they bring to the base. For my US readers, crisp ginger snaps are the closest match. Use 350 g by weight, as biscuit sizes vary.
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter when I’m baking
- Cream cheese: I use full-fat Philadelphia for the cheesecake filling. Make sure you let it come to room temperature before you start, or you’ll spend far too long chasing little lumps around the bowl.
- Store-bought lemon curd. I used a jar of Martha’s Lemon Curd for this recipe. Another good-quality lemon curd will work too. As different lemon curds have different strengths in flavor, don’t be afraid to cut down on the amount of curd if it’s a strong one. Add half the curd and judge by taste if it’s to your liking after you’ve mixed it through. Add more as needed up to the full 260g.
- Eggs – Extra-large eggs (approx. 60g) at room temperature.
- Golden caster sugar: Feel free to swap out with regular caster sugar (or superfine sugar if you’re not in Aus.)
- Pure vanilla extract, lemon zest and sea salt flakes.
How to make lemon curd cheesecake slice
1. Make and bake the gingernut crust – Preheat your fan-forced oven to 160°C / 320°F. Grease and line a 30 × 14 cm slice tin with baking paper. Leave some paper overhanging the sides so you can lift the chilled cheesecake out later. Blitz the gingernut biscuits in a food processor until finely crushed. Add the melted butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly coated. Tip them into the tin and press firmly into an even layer on the base. Bake for 12 minutes, then set aside while you make the filling.
2. Mix the cheesecake filling. Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the lemon curd and mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just incorporated after each. Add the caster sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and salt, then mix again until the filling is smooth.
3. Bake the cheesecake. Pour the filling over the baked gingernut base and smooth the top. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the top is just set. Remove it from the oven and leave it to cool.
4. Chill and slice – Refrigerate the cooled cheesecake for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight. Once it’s properly chilled, lift it from the tin using the baking paper and cut into slices. A clean, sharp knife will help you make neat cuts.
Equipment
You’ll need a 30 x 14 cm slice tin lined with parchment paper. My trusty Magimix food processor was used for blitzing the gingernuts, and a stand mixer (or hand mixer) fitted with a paddle attachment for the cheesecake filling. No food processor? Pop the biscuits in a sealed bag and give them a good bash with a rolling pin instead!
Cooks notes
Bring the cream cheese to room temperature before you start. Cold cream cheese will leave lumps in the filling, no matter how determined you are with the mixer!
Scrape the bowl as you go. Cream cheese likes to cling to the sides, and you want the lemon curd mixed evenly through the filling.
Press the gingernut base firmly into the tin. This helps it hold together when you lift out and cut the slice.
Once the eggs go in, mix only until they’re incorporated. The filling should be smooth, but there’s no need to whip lots of air into it, as it can be the cause of cracks in your cheesecake mixture.
With this recipe, I’ve never bothered with a water bath because I’ve never had it crack, and I’ve made variations of this recipe for years!
Take the cheesecake out when the top is just set, then let it cool before refrigerating. Give it at least 6 hours in the fridge; overnight is even better for neat slices.
For clean cuts, dip a large knife into hot water, wipe it dry, and slice while the blade is still warm. Wipe the knife between cuts.
What to serve with it
I love this slice cold, just as it is. If you’re serving it for dessert, let’s talk a few ways to take it up a notch, shall we…
Serving as a full dessert?
- A few fresh berries on the side are lovely with the lemon and ginger.
- How about a dollop of Swiss meringue and then blowtorched?! Lemon Meringue cheesecake, anyone!
- You could also add a small spoonful of extra lemon curd to each plate if you have some left in the jar.
- A little vanilla Persian fairy floss will add a good bit of height. And alongside the berries and extra curd, we’re talking a showstopper!
If I’m serving up bite-size pieces, I’ll decorate the top of the cheesecake with a light dusting of icing sugar, piping a star of whipped cream on top, then finishing with a piece of dehydrated lemon, but the options are endless.
Storage
This lemon curd baked cheesecake will store in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container.
Happy baking!
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Lemon Curd Cheesecake Slice
- Total Time: 57 minutes
- Yield: 18 bite size squares 1x
Description
This lemon curd cheesecake slice has a buttery, gingery base and a creamy, baked cheesecake filling with lemon curd mixed right through it. It’s tangy and rich with just a little bit of sweetness.
Ingredients
- 350g ginger nut biscuits (crisp ginger snap cookies)
- 120g unsalted butter, melted
- 750g Philadelphia cream cheese
- 1 jar (270g) store-bought lemon curd (I used this lemon butter from Martha’s)
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup golden caster sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- pinch of sea salt flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F. Grease and line a 30 x 14cm slice tin with baking paper.
- Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until finely crushed. Add the melted butter and mix to combine. Press firmly into the base of the prepared tin and bake for 12 minutes. Set aside.
- Make the cheesecake filling. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add the lemon curd and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just incorporated. Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt, and mix again until smooth.
- Assemble the slice. Pour the cheesecake filling over the baked base and smooth the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the top is just set, then remove from the oven and leave to cool.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight, before slicing and serving.
Notes
- As different lemon curds have different strengths in flavor, don’t be afraid to cut down on the amount of curd if it’s a strong one. Add half the curd and judge by taste if it’s to your liking after you’ve mixed it through. Add more as needed up to the full 260g.
- The tin I use for this recipe is a 30 x 14 cm slice tin lined with parchment paper.
- Please note that all recipes on this website are in US measurements. Eg, 1 cup / 240ml, 1 tablespoon/15mls. Oven temperatures refer to a fan-forced oven.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 37 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 361
- Sugar: 14.9 g
- Sodium: 378.9 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Protein: 5.3 g
- Cholesterol: 127.1 mg
