Tangy lemon cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite desserts. It’s always so light and refreshing after a big meal. I personally like lemon cheesecakes to taste strongly citrusy and zesty, so you can really taste that lemon flavor.

I have never tried cheesecake in my SousVide Supreme and I was interested to see how it would taste. I followed my usual recipe for cheesecake, and made them in 6 individual ramekins. It was very straightforward and simple to put together.

I placed the ramekins on a baking rack in the water oven and cooked them slowly—just as you would in a bain Marie in the oven, but easier! The precise temperature controls of the SousVide Supreme allow the cheesecake to cook in a water bath that retains the exact same temperature throughout the cooking process. The resulting cheesecake was so light and delicate in consistency, it almost tasted like a lemon mousse. I was really impressed with how they turned out, and I am looking forward to experimenting with other flavored cheesecakes in my SousVide Supreme.

I served my luscious lemon cheesecakes with some fresh blueberries and a dusting of powdered sugar and I think they would make a perfect Easter or Passover dessert*.

Ingredients

For Passover use the flourless crust instead of graham cracker crust
Flourless Crust

• 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) butter, for greasing ramekins
• ¼ cup (57g) Coconut Macaroon crumbs (5 cookies) – I used coconut macaroons.
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) melted butter
• 2 tablespoons almond meal, toasted

OR

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) butter, for greasing ramekins
• ¼ cup (57g) graham crackers, crushed
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) melted butter
• ½ tablespoon (6g) granulated sugar

Cheesecake filling

• 12oz (342g) cream cheese
• ½ cup (95g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (59ml) sour cream
• 2 eggs
• Zest of one lemon, finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons (60ml) lemon juice (about half a lemon)

Garnish

• ½ cup (80g) blueberries (optional)
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar / icing sugar (optional)

Method

1. Begin by filling the SousVide Supreme up to the fill line.
2. Arrange 6 empty ramekins on a baking rack in the water oven. Check that the water reaches half way up the side of the ramekins. Add more water if needed.
3. Remove and dry the ramekins and grease each one with butter.
4. Preheat the SousVide Supreme to 176°F/80°C
5. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients for the crust. If you are making the flourless crust, ensure to toast the almond meal on a warm pan until it turns golden. The toasted almond meal gives a little more crunch and flavor to the flourless crust.
6. Once the crust mixture is thoroughly combined, divide the crumbs evenly among the ramekins and press them into the bottom of the ramekins using the back of a spoon
7. Next, beat the cream cheese, sugar and sour cream together with a hand mixer or electric beaters.
8. Once the mixture is smooth and creamy, gradually add the eggs, beating well between each addition.
9. Next beat in the lemon zest and lemon juice and mix until you have smooth and creamy mixture.
10. Divide the mixture evenly among the 6 ramekins.
11. Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap/cling film and secure the wrap with elastic/rubber bands.
12. Carefully place the ramekins on the baking tray in the water oven, ensuring that the water is still half way up the sides, but does not come over the rims.
13. Allow the cheesecakes to cook for 90 minutes.
14. Once cooked, remove the ramekins using an oven glove or tongs.
15. Remove the wrap and bands and discard.
16. Allow the cheesecakes to cool at room temperature before putting them in the fridge to cool further.
17.  Serve the cheesecakes, chilled, with some fresh blueberries and a dusting of powdered sugar on top.