LEMON CHEESE TART

 

I have made this several times and like it a lot.  It is quick dessert (if you don't do the preserved lemons) with great lemon flavor.   I made it once with key limes and thought it was a little bitter with that much key lime peel (besides it takes forever to get any juice out of key limes).  I might make it again with regular limes and I plan to try it with oranges and a chocolate glaze.  Stay tuned.  I preserved some orange slices for some cupcakes I made recently and decided that it would work with the lemons also.  The lemons were pretty and delicious but my husband picked them off so the picky won't like them.  8 servings.  Store in the refrigerator but  better if served room temperature.

Lemon Cheese Tart
Cake Layer

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

6 T melted butter

2 eggs

2 T lemon juice 

2 T lemon zest 

For the cream cheese filling --

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 generous tsp. lemon zest

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease or spray a 9" springform pan with vegetable spray.

Stir the Lemon cake ingredients all together until smooth but not overmixed and spread into the bottom of the springform pan.

Beat the cream cheese ingredients together until fluffy.  Dollop gently on top of the cake to about ½ inch from the edge and spread as much as possible.    Bake for 25 minutes on 325 and turn off the oven for another 5 minutes.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

Add 1 T vegetable oil to ½ C. white chocolate chips.  Microwave on half power for 1 ½ minutes or more until melted.  You might have to stir for a minute to get them all to melt.  Glaze the top of the cake.

Preserved Lemon – (Fun but not necessary)  Stir together in a Dutch oven size pan ¾ C sugar and 3/4 C. water. Bring to a boil.   Slice 2 lemons in 1/3 inch slices and lay in a single layer in the pan.  Simmer for 20 minutes turning the slices a couple of times.  Remove carefully and drain in a colander and chill.  Save the boiling sauce for lemonade or freeze it for the next time you want to make this.  Also works with oranges.  .  Sprinkle with a little sugar before putting them on top of your cake.