Lemon Mirror Cheesecake
Here’s a cheesecake that’s surprisingly light and is a quick & easy, no-bake cheesecake that sparkles with a fresh lemon flavor!
For the crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup Dixie Crystals® granulated sugar
3 TBSP butter or margarine, melted
For the filling
1 lb. Ricotta cheese
1 1/2 lbs. (three 8 oz. packages) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 cups Dixie Crystals® confectioners sugar
grated zest and juice of 2 fresh lemons
1/3 cup cold water
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
For the lemon topping
1 cup Dixie Crystals® granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1 cup cold water
grated zest and juice of 2 fresh lemons
1 TBSP butter or margarine
For the crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and arrange oven rack to the center position.
Stir ingredients together until well blended, then press firmly into the bottom of a lightly greased (a no stick spray is fine) 9 inch springform pan.
Bake crust 10 minutes, then cool thoroughly over a rack before filling.
For the filling
Beat Ricotta and cream cheeses together until smooth, then blend in sour cream. Add confectioners sugar and blend smooth once again. Blend in grated lemon zest and juice.
Stir unflavored gelatin into the cold water and allow mixture to stand 2 minutes or until gelatin has softened. Heat mixture over a low heat source until gelatin has completely dissolved. Cool briefly, then blend smoothly into the cheese mixture above.
Spoon mixture into the prepared pan with the cooled crust. Cover and chill until firm, overnight if desired.
For the lemon topping
Whisk the sugar with the cornstarch until smooth in a non-aluminum saucepan. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the cold water and lemon zest until smooth, then add to the sugar mixture, again whisking until smooth.
Place saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly until mixture is very thick and paste-like.
Remove from heat and whisk in the lemon juice and the butter. Cool to room temperature, then spread evenly over the top of the chilled cheesecake, leaving a 1/4 inch “frame” of cheesecake to be covered by whipped cream rosettes. Re-chill cake until topping is firm.
To garnish and serve
whipped cream
fresh lemon slices
Pipe rosettes of whipped cream around the top edge of the cake and decorate with slices of fresh lemon.
Source: Dixie Crystals® sugar website, Jun 1998 (from Archive.org Wayback machine)