Lemon Cheesecake with Pistachios
This lemon cheesecake with Biscoff cookie crust, real lemon filling, and topped with lemon curd and crushed pistachios makes for an amazing dessert, perfect for any occasion.
Servings 12 servings
Calories 628kcal
Equipment
- 1 Hand Held Electrical Mixer
- 1 spatula
- 1 springform pan 9 inches
Ingredients
Crust
- 5 oz Biscoff cookies
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ½ cup pistachios
- ⅛ tsp salt
Cheesecake Filling
- 32 oz cream cheese
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon extract
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced
- 4 eggs
- 16 oz sour cream
Lemon Curd
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 2 eggs
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- ¼ cup pistachios
Instructions
Crust
- Use a food processor or blender with pulse function. Add Biscoff cookies, pistachios, sugar and salt to food processor. Add softened butter as well. Pulse until everything is crumbled and well incorporated.
- Wrap the springform pan with aluminum foil. Usually I get two large pieces and wrap around the pan like seen in pictures.
- Pour the crumbled cookies from the food processor on the springform pan. Use a measuring cup to spread the mix evenly.
- Bake crust at 350 degrees F in a preheated oven for 10 minutes. Let the crust cool while you prepare the filling.
Cheesecake Filling
- Make sure eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature when you start preparing the filling. Cream cheese especially needs to be softened.
- Juice and zest the lemons. Set aside. I feel it helps to have all the ingredients measured and close by when preparing the filling as I can add to the mixing bowl with one hand while still mixing with the other. This I believe also helps not let ingredients curdle, afterall we are mixing lemon juice with dairy products so it helps to be fast end efficient.
- Start by mixing the cream cheese until it's homogenous and creamy. Add vanilla extract and lemon extract.
- Slowly add sugar and mix until it's all incorporated with cream cheese. Add zest and lemon juice and continue mixing.
- Finally add sour cream and once it's all mixed in, use a spatula to scrape the edges of the bowl and have everything mixed together. Pour filling over crust.
- Bake cheesecake at 325 degrees F for about 1 hour then start checking if it's done. The cheesecake should be jiggly when you shake it a bit. If your oven runs hot, cover the top of the cheesecake with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning.
Lemon Curd
- Add sugar, eggs, lemon zest, pinch of salt and lemon juice to a saucepan. Whisk vigorously to incorporate. Place saucepan over the stovetop in low heat. Continue whisking and add butter.
- Once curd thickens, add vanilla extract. If there are lumps you can pour the curd over a fine mesh to get a silky lemon curd.
Assembly and Toppings
- Cheesecake filling is now baked and cheesecake is still warm. Lemon curd is ready and still warm. Pour the lemon curd over the cheesecake. Spread evenly with a spatula.
- Crush the pistachios in a blender or mortar and pestle. Top off the cheesecake with the pistachios as seen in the pictures.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight. The next day, remove the aluminum foil and the springform, place the cheesecake over a cake stand and feel free to add whipped cream or other garnishes as you serve. Enjoy:)
Notes
- The 9 inch diameter cheesecake can yield anywhere from 8 to 16 servings depending on how thick you cut the slices. We usually get about 12 slices with ours.
- Please note that I let the cheesecake chill in the refrigerator overnight, the chilling time is not included in cooking time since it's not active work but keep that in mind if you're making the cheesecake for an event that you need to make it the day before for optimal results.
Nutrition
Calories: 628kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 194mg | Sodium: 389mg | Potassium: 325mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 1561IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 156mg | Iron: 1mg