Sous Vide Lemon Cheesecake Cups
By Steve DunnPublished on February 2, 2021
Time
2 hours, plus 5 hours chilling and cooling
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
Topping
3 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces (1⅔ ounces/47 grams)1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 ½ teaspoons sugar ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch table saltFilling
⅔ cups (4⅔ ounces/132 grams) sugar 1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice12 ounces (340 grams) cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks and softened2 large eggs ¼ cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ⅛ teaspoon table saltLemon Curd
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk¼ cup (1¾ ounces/50 grams) sugar 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 piecesPinch table salt 2 teaspoons heavy cream ¼ teaspoon vanilla extractBefore You Begin
You will need eight 4-ounce Mason jars and one 8-ounce Mason jar for this sous vide cheesecake recipe. Don't overtighten the lids before placing the jars in the water bath; the glass could crack.
Instructions
- Pulse cracker pieces in food processor to fine crumbs, about 15 pulses. Melt butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, salt, and crumbs. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute; transfer topping to small bowl and let cool. (Topping can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.) Wipe processor bowl and blade to remove any crumbs.
- Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 176°F/80°C in 7-quart container. Process sugar and lemon zest in now-empty processor until sugar is pale yellow, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add cream cheese and process until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs, cream, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice and process until just incorporated, about 15 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into 4-cup liquid measuring cup, then divide evenly among eight 4-ounce Mason jars. Gently tap jars on counter to remove any air bubbles, then seal (do not overtighten lids).
- Whisk egg and yolk together in medium bowl. Combine sugar, lemon juice, butter, and salt in small bowl and microwave until butter and sugar are melted, 45 to 60 seconds, whisking halfway through microwaving. Slowly pour half of lemon mixture into eggs, whisking constantly until smooth. Whisk remaining lemon mixture into eggs. Stir in cream and vanilla. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into 8-ounce Mason jar. Seal; do not overtighten lid.
- Gently lower all 9 jars into water bath until fully submerged. Cover and cook for at least 1 hour or up to 1¼ hours. Transfer jars to wire rack and tighten lid rings. Wrap jar of lemon curd in dish towel and shake vigorously for 15 seconds to recombine contents. Let jars cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 5 days.
- Remove lids from cheesecake cups and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon lemon curd over top of each cheesecake and smooth with back of spoon. Sprinkle topping over curd and serve.
for the topping
for the filling
for the lemon curd
to cook
to serve
Time
2 hours, plus 5 hours chilling and coolingYield
Serves 8Ingredients
Topping
3 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces (1⅔ ounces/47 grams)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch table salt
Filling
⅔ cups (4⅔ ounces/132 grams) sugar
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
12 ounces (340 grams) cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks and softened
2 large eggs
¼ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon table salt
Lemon Curd
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
¼ cup (1¾ ounces/50 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
Pinch table salt
2 teaspoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients
Topping
3 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces (1⅔ ounces/47 grams)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch table salt
Filling
⅔ cups (4⅔ ounces/132 grams) sugar
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
12 ounces (340 grams) cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks and softened
2 large eggs
¼ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon table salt
Lemon Curd
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
¼ cup (1¾ ounces/50 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
Pinch table salt
2 teaspoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ingredients
Topping
3 whole graham crackers, broken into 1-inch pieces (1⅔ ounces/47 grams)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch table salt
Filling
⅔ cups (4⅔ ounces/132 grams) sugar
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
12 ounces (340 grams) cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks and softened
2 large eggs
¼ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon table salt
Lemon Curd
1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
¼ cup (1¾ ounces/50 grams) sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
Pinch table salt
2 teaspoons heavy cream
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Why This Recipe Works
A lemon cheesecake is ideal for sous vide cooking because the insulating water bath gently heats the egg-based custard to a precise temperature, preventing it from curdling and resulting in lush, all-over creaminess. We portioned the lemony batter, which comes together easily in the food processor, into eight 4-ounce canning jars that we then sealed, submerged in a water bath set to 176 degrees (the temperature at which eggs set), and heated for an hour. Once the sous vide cheesecake cups were cooled and chilled, we spread each portion with a bright, silky lemon curd that conveniently cooked in a separate jar alongside the sous vide lemon cheesecakes (any butter that separated out during cooking was easily recombined with a vigorous shake) and sprinkled each with a topping of crisp, buttery, stovetop-toasted graham cracker crumbs.
Before You Begin
You will need eight 4-ounce Mason jars and one 8-ounce Mason jar for this sous vide cheesecake recipe. Don't overtighten the lids before placing the jars in the water bath; the glass could crack.
Instructions
- Pulse cracker pieces in food processor to fine crumbs, about 15 pulses. Melt butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, salt, and crumbs. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute; transfer topping to small bowl and let cool. (Topping can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.) Wipe processor bowl and blade to remove any crumbs.
- Using sous vide circulator, bring water to 176°F/80°C in 7-quart container. Process sugar and lemon zest in now-empty processor until sugar is pale yellow, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add cream cheese and process until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs, cream, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice and process until just incorporated, about 15 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into 4-cup liquid measuring cup, then divide evenly among eight 4-ounce Mason jars. Gently tap jars on counter to remove any air bubbles, then seal (do not overtighten lids).
- Whisk egg and yolk together in medium bowl. Combine sugar, lemon juice, butter, and salt in small bowl and microwave until butter and sugar are melted, 45 to 60 seconds, whisking halfway through microwaving. Slowly pour half of lemon mixture into eggs, whisking constantly until smooth. Whisk remaining lemon mixture into eggs. Stir in cream and vanilla. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into 8-ounce Mason jar. Seal; do not overtighten lid.
- Gently lower all 9 jars into water bath until fully submerged. Cover and cook for at least 1 hour or up to 1¼ hours. Transfer jars to wire rack and tighten lid rings. Wrap jar of lemon curd in dish towel and shake vigorously for 15 seconds to recombine contents. Let jars cool completely, about 1 hour. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or up to 5 days.
- Remove lids from cheesecake cups and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon lemon curd over top of each cheesecake and smooth with back of spoon. Sprinkle topping over curd and serve.
for the topping
for the filling
for the lemon curd
to cook
to serve
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