Creamy, smooth, with the pleasant pucker of citrus, this lemon curd cheesecake is a delight to eat and quick and easy to make. Top it with a circle of blueberries, make a rim of whipped cream rosettes, add a berry sauce and you’ve got a dessert for company. You must prepare it at least a day before serving, so it’s a good choice when you’re entertaining.

The cream cheese, lemon curd and eggs should be at room temperature before starting the filling — that’s critical to its delicious texture. Not all cheesecake recipes call for flour in the filling as this one does. It’s there to add structure and help prevent cracks from forming while the dessert bakes.

Lemon curd cheesecake

Make in a shiny metal 8-inch springform pan, works at any elevation

Crust

1 cup honey graham cracker crumbs (eight 5-by-2-¼-inch crackers)

3 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar, preferably baker’s

3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cheesecake

16 ounces whole fat cream cheese, at room temperature

½ cup superfine granulated sugar, preferably baker’s

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup lemon curd (homemade or commercial), at room temperature

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour  

Topping (optional)

3-4 tablespoons lemon curd

¼ cup washed, stemmed blueberries

2 teaspoons blueberry or seedless raspberry jam

Directions

Get ready: Preheat the oven to 350 with a rack in the center position. Unlock your springform pan, flip over the base so the lip faces down and relock it in place (this makes it easier to cut and serve the baked cheesecake). Generously grease the pan with a baking spray that contains flour.

Make the crust: Combine the graham crackers crumbs and sugar in a food processor or bowl and pulse/stir until well combined. Add 3 tablespoons of the melted butter and pulse/stir until the dry ingredients are uniformly moistened. Pinch some between your fingers, it should just hold together. If it doesn’t, add a little more melted butter (not too much or the crust will be hard).  Press the crumbs into the pan bottom, making a level layer. Bake until the crust is set and aromatic, about 10 minutes. Cool completely. You can cover and refrigerate the baked crust overnight.

Prep the oven: Bring the oven temperature down to 320 degrees, with a rack in the center position. Place a roasting pan filled with at least 1 inch of water on the lower rack to add moisture to the oven while the cheesecake bakes. It’s a very successful substitute for a water bath. 

Make the filling: Cut the cream cheese into half-inch cubes, add them, with the sugar and salt, to a food processor and, with quick pulses, combine until the mixture is blended, scraping the bowl as needed. Add the lemon curd and vanilla, and pulse again until fully combined and smooth. Don’t overmix (which will cause the filling to be runny when baked) but be sure it’s lump-free. Add the eggs and flour, mixing only until smooth. Pour the filling into the crust and level it. Tap the pan on the counter several times to release any air bubbles.

Bake: Put the pan in the oven and immediately turn the oven temperature down to 310 degrees. Bake until the edges of the filling are set but a 3-to-4-inch circle in the center still jiggles when you gently shake the pan — start checking at 25 minutes though it may take longer. Turn off the oven, partially open the oven door 5-6 inches (if necessary, prop it open with a heatproof spoon) and leave the pan in the open oven for an hour. (It needs to cool slowly to prevent the filling from cracking). After about 30 minutes, while the cheesecake is still in the open oven, run a greased offset spatula or knife between the outside edge of the cake and the pan, pressing toward the pan, to release any stuck filling.  After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven, set it on a rack to cool completely, and then refrigerate it, lightly covered, at least eight and up to 24 hours.

Make the topping, if using: Remove the cheesecake from the fridge, detach the pan sides, cover the top with a layer of the lemon curd, and place a circle of blueberries in the center. To add shine and sweetness to the berries (optional), melt the jam in a small bowl, and brush it over the fruit. Refrigerate for four hours.

Serve and store: Serve cold, right out of the refrigerator. To cut, dip a thin-bladed, sharp knife in hot water and dry it between slices. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days.