Hope you’re enjoying the beautiful spring weather wherever you are. We had mild winter here in New Hampshire, barely a snow flake in sight. The ski mountains had a rough winter, that’s for sure. Then suddenly at the beginning of April we started getting snow. No kidding. The crocuses were already blooming and green shoots were coming up. Then Mother Nature pulled an April Fool’s trick! Spring always takes a little longer to arrive in New England, and we just roll with it. (Like we have a choice!)

But when spring and summer finally DO arrive around here, we pull out all the stops and celebrate! We spend so much time indoors during the winter, so it’s a relief to get out of the kitchen and enjoy the great outdoors while we can.

That’s one reason I love this simple Lemon Cream Strawberry Angel Food Cake. It’s made in a flash by using a purchased angel food cake and lemon curd or spend a few more minutes to make it from scratch. (Click here for my easy homemade lemon curd recipe.)

I love lemon everything in spring and summer. How ’bout you? Fresh squeezed lemonade, lemon mousse, lemon tarts, lemon bars and this light and airy Lemon Cream Strawberry Angel Food Cake.

The combination of mouth puckering sweet and tart lemon curd, lemon whipping cream and luscious strawberries is irresistible.

This Lemon Cream Strawberry Angel Food Cake is a show stopper and perfect for all your spring and summer entertaining.

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Lemon Cream Strawberry Angel Food Cake

Angel food cake layered with lemon curd, lemon cream, and fresh strawberries for a light and airy dessert.

Course Dessert

Servings 1 cake

Author Allie

Ingredients

• 1 angel food cake homemade or purchased
• 1 pint 16 ounces heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest
• 2 cups lemon curd divided (homemade or purchased)
• 16 ounces fresh strawberries washed & sliced
• Additional lemon zest for garnish

Instructions

• In metal mixing bowl, whip heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
• Gently stir in 1 cup lemon curd and 2 tablespoons lemon zest.
• Set aside lemon cream mixture.
• Slice angel food cake horizontally, evenly into three rounds.
• Spread 1/2 cup lemon curd on the bottom 2 layers,
• Then spread both layers with 1/3 lemon cream mixture.
• Add a layer of fresh sliced strawberries.
• Stack layers on top of each other, ending with the cake top.
• Dollop remaining 1/3 of lemon cream mixture on top.
• Garnish with lemon zest and sliced strawberries.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Please take a moment to visit Through Her Looking Glass and follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter!

You may also like:

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

Mile High Buttermilk Biscuits

Bakery Style Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

The post Lemon Cream Strawberry Angel Food Cake appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

It’s Allie here from Through Her Looking Glass again and I’m thrilled to be sharing these delicious Lemon Filled Cream Puffs with you today. Spring has finally sprung in New Hampshire and I’m so glad! After many drab and dreary winter days, it appears that spring is finally here to stay. Yay! These cream puffs are the perfect spring dessert for Easter or make a beautiful presentation for baby and wedding showers.

If making cream puff pastry intimidates you, please keep reading. Seriously, it’s not hard at all! There are only five ingredients in the cream puff shells. Just boil butter and water together on the stovetop, then remove from the heat and stir in flour and salt, then eggs one at a time. That’s it!

Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto a baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden just like this.

Split the hot pastry puffs in half, and scoop out any remaining soft dough inside. Cool on a wire rack.

There are only two ingredients in the lemon cream filling: heavy whipping cream and lemon curd. Just whip the whipping cream ’til soft peaks form, then gently fold in the lemon curd. Use store bought lemon curd or  use my favorite recipe here. It couldn’t be simpler. Fill your cream puffs with this delicious lemon curd whipped cream and grab ’em while you can! These disappear fast.

Please take a moment to visit Through Her Looking Glass and follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter!

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Lemon Filled Cream Puffs

Dreamy Lemon Filled Cream Puffs are light and airy. Perfect spring dessert for brunches and baby or wedding showers.

Course Dessert

Servings 20 - 3" cream puffs

Author allie

Ingredients

Lemon Cream Filling

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup lemon curd store bought or homemade

Cream Puffs

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• Optional: powdered sugar to dust cream puffs

Instructions

Lemon Cream Filling

• In mixing bowl, whip heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form.
• Gently stir in lemon curd.
• Keep refrigerated.

Cream Puffs

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Boil together water and butter in a medium sauce pan on the stove top.
• Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup flour until ball forms.
• Add in eggs one at a time, mixing throughly by hand after each. (I use a wooden spoon or my King Arthur bread dough whisk.)
• Drop by tablespoonfuls, 3" apart, onto a lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
• Split cream puffs apart (I use a fork) while hot and remove any soft dough that may be inside.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Fill with cream puff shells with lemon cream filling.
• Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Lemon Filled Cream Puffs

You may also like:

Blueberry Pound Cake

Grand Marnier Berry Salad

Fresh Peach Custard Pie 

The post Lemon Filled Cream Puffs appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

We love gingersnaps at our house and love snacking on ’em. They’re great with a glass of milk or chai tea. Make a great crust for cheesecake or pumpkin bars. I especially love gingersnaps dipped in lemon curd or with a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade. It’s that tart/sweet combination that’s so delicious. So back around Christmas time, I was developing a new recipe for Lime Sugared Cranberries. I love how they turned out, simultaneously tart and sweet, a mouthwatering and festive addition to a cheese board, drink or appetizer tray. So addictive. And I’ve had that lime sugar on the brain ever since.

So naturally it occurred to me that incorporating lime sugar into my gingersnap recipe might be a great idea. And I was right. If you love a good gingersnap, you’ll love these Lime Sugared Gingersnaps. Spicy and sweet, they’re an extra special treat for after school snacks on a wintry day.

Lime zest mixes in with the sugar, creating a unique cookie that pairs perfectly with a cup of afternoon tea.

The lime sugar mixes into the cookie dough and the dough balls are also rolled in it just before baking. The ginger and lime zest give a little zing, while the sugar keeps them sweet.

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Lime Sugared Gingersnaps

A tart, refreshing twist on the classic gingersnap. Lime sugar rolled. Crackly on the outside, chewy on the inside.

Course Cookies

Servings 2 1/2 dozen, 2" cookies

Author Allie

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 4 tablespoons lime zest zest from about 4 limes
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 1/8 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• In small bowl, mix lime zest together with sugar. Set aside.
• Separately, using hand mixer, beat butter in mixing bowl 'til creamy.
• Add 1 cup of lime sugar and beat together with the butter.
• (Remaining 1/2 cup lime sugar will be used to roll dough balls in before baking.)
• Add in egg and molasses and stir 'til smooth.
• Separately, sift together (or mix well with a fork): flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
• Stir flour mixture into wet ingredients.
• Form into 1 1/2 inch round dough balls.
• Roll dough balls in remaining lime sugar.
• Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet or parchment paper.
• Bake 8 minutes @ 350 degrees or 'til tops are round and cracked. They may still be slightly puffy.
• Remove from oven and whack the pan hard on the counter or stovetop.
• (Yup.) The middle will fall and they'll be flat and crackly. Just like a good gingersnap ought to be.

Please take a moment to visit Through Her Looking Glass and follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter!

You may also like the following posts:

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

 Hot Feta Artichoke & Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Salted Caramel Pecan Turtles

The post Lime Sugared Gingersnaps appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

The last time I posted here was just before Christmas! Time: it flies. Since then we have ushered in a brand new year. Wishing a belated Happy 2016 to each of you!

“And now we welcome the new year, full of things that have never been” ― Rainer Maria Rilke

I love that quote, and sincerely hope the year ahead is brimming with hope and possibility for you and your family. Maybe you made some New Year’s resolutions. I made a few, but mostly resolved to give myself permission to take little snatches of time away from caregiving and nurturing others to include things that bring me joy each day. Things that make my heart sing. Like a quiet cup of tea with a friend, an hour at Barnes & Noble flipping through my favorite magazines or a fancy paper straw in my breakfast smoothie.

I do love baking, and was thumbing through my recipe cards last week when I came across a simple Toffee Squares recipes I hadn’t made in decades. So I made the Toffee Squares in about ten minutes, then went one step further. Added a drizzle of melted chocolate. You can’t go wrong with chocolate my friends. And voila: Chocolate Toffee Squares!

People: these  are so incredibly addictive and seriously one of the easiest bars you’ll ever make. My family loved them! Just five ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Better dust off your super hero cape, because you’ll be needing it stat after baking these.

Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil on the stovetop. Pour the hot mixture over graham crackers squares you’ve already placed on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarsely broken walnuts and bake for ten minutes.

Let cool for 3-5 minutes, then break apart into squares.

Use a small spoon to drizzle toffee squares with melted chocolate!

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Chocolate Toffee Squares

Incredibly addictive toffee cookie bars and seriously one of the easiest you'll ever make. Just five ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Course Cookie bar

Servings 24 , 2" squares

Author Allie

Ingredients

• 24, 2 " graham cracker squares or enough to cover a sided baking sheet
• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips melted according to package instructions

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. (Or spray well with non-stick spray.)
• Cover sided cookie sheet (I used 15 1/2" X 10 1/2" jelly roll pan) with single layer of graham crackers, touching each other.
• In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
• Stir in brown sugar and bring to a boil to make a caramel syrup.
• Pour hot syrup over graham cracker layer.
• Sprinkle with coarsely broken walnuts.
• Bake for ten minutes at 350°.
• Remove from oven.
• Cool for 3-5 minutes or until squares begin to harden.
• Break apart while still warm.
• Use a small spoon (I used a baby spoon) to drizzle melted chocolate over the squares.
• Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Toffee Squares

Please take a moment to visit Through Her Looking Glass and follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter!

You may also like the following posts:

Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake

Raspberry Peach Almond Shortbread

Blueberry Pound Cake

The post Chocolate Toffee Squares appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

Merry Christmas everyone! It’s Allie here from Through Her Looking Glass sharing a simple and delectable recipe for Festive Sugared Cranberries today.

Hope you’re well and experiencing all the joys and festivities of the season. At our house we’ve been busy with Christmas recitals, class parties and holiday baking. Just finished up the last of the shopping, but still a little wrapping left to go. How ’bout you? Just last night our family was excited to watch A Christmas Carol on-stage at our little historic downtown theater. It was such a beautiful venue for the production and it was excellent. There’s just something about an old-fashioned Christmas complete with traditional Christmas carolers and swirling snow that really appeals to me.

Sugared fruits and candied nuts are old-fashioned treats that remind me of Christmases past. Today I’m sharing a quick recipe for Festive Sugared Cranberries. Sugared cranberries are a delicious little treat bursting with sweet and tangy flavor that actually pops in your mouth. Fresh cranberries are steeped in hot sugary syrup, then rolled in superfine sugar. They beautifully garnish a cheese tray, drink, ice cream or cheesecake. They’re also the perfect little last minute stocking stuffer or hostess gift. Sweet and tart. Tangy and addictive. Festive Sugared Cranberries are all that rolled into one red sparkling jewel of a sugared cranberry. Bet you can’t eat just one.

Steep cranberries in hot simple syrup, then marinate for eight hours.

Roll in superfine sugar. Festive Sugared Cranberries are a sweet treat to hoard or give, your decision! Store in a semi-airtight container for up to a week.

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Festive Sugared Cranberries

Deliciously tart and sweet, sugared cranberries are the perfect gift, garnish or inclusion in your baked goods.

Course snack/garnish

Servings 2 cups

Author Allie

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups washed and sorted fresh cranberries
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar

Instructions

Cranberries in Simple Syrup

• In a small sauce pot, mix sugar and water together.
• Stir over low heat on the stove top, until barely simmering.
• Remove from heat.
• Test by dropping in a cranberry or two. (If it pops, it's too hot.)
• Add remaining cranberries and stir.
• Transfer to a covered plastic container and refrigerate about eight hours.
• Drain cranberries in a colander, reserving simple syrup for another use.

Superfine Granulated Sugar

• Make superfine granulated sugar by placing sugar in blender or food processor and pulsing several times.
• Place superfine sugar on baking sheet or shallow baking pan.

Assemble

• Roll cranberries in sugar to coat.
• Let dry on a baking sheet at room temperature for about an hour.
• Store in a semi-airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.

Notes

Store in a semi-airtight container. Cranberries may "sweat" in an airtight container, causing the sugar to moisten and run off the cranberries. (this happened to me!)

You may also like these posts:

Peppermint Bark

Sugared Pecans

DIY Clementine Wreath

The post Festive Sugared Cranberries appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

I love having iced Christmas cookies for the holidays, and I’ve been making this simply rolled sugar cookie recipe since I was a little kid. Christmas Stocking Cookies bring Christmas cheer to cookie exchanges, parties, and special celebrations during the Christmas season. Also, the perfect cookie to thank the jolly man in the red suit on Christmas Eve. (Don’t forget the milk!)

You’ll need the following on hand:

• Christmas stocking cookie cutter, whatever size you like
• decorating bag and Wilton #16 star tip
• rolling pin
• red gel or powdered red food coloring (not water-based)

My tradition has always been to make the dough and bake the cookies on Thanksgiving weekend. (I usually make 5 recipes for the season and freeze most of them unfrosted.)

Chill dough in tightly wrapped plastic wrap for a minimum of one hour.

Christmas Stocking Cookies make such a beautiful presentation. There’s something different about these roll-out cookies. They’re thin. And light. Crunchy and buttery. The frosting is pure buttercream. Maybe I’m biased (!), but I’ve never tasted a better frosted Christmas cookie.

Roll the chilled dough thin on a generously floured board or mat. The dough should not be translucent, but nearly – about 1/16″ thick. (Look closely at the picture above. If the dough is too thick it will result in thick cookies that don’t hold their shape.)

I cut just one shape to keep the baking and decorating simple. Carefully transfer stockings with a thin cookie spatula to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Chill each pan of cut-outs a minimum of ten minutes before baking. (Very important: this keeps the cookies from spreading too much and losing shape.)

Bake cookies 5-6 minutes at 350° or until edges are just browning. Watch closely. Cool cookies, then freeze or frost. (I freeze the baked cookies, undecorated. Then all season long I decorate for parties as needed.)

Baking tips:

• Dough should be well chilled before rolling on a generously floured surface
• Roll dough thin, almost translucent, about 1/16″ thick
• Carefully transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet with a thin, flexible spatula
• Chill cookies on the pan a minimum of ten minutes before baking

Frosting/Decorating Tips:

• Butter should be at room temperature
• Leave frosting stiffer than you want because the food coloring will thin some
• I used a #16 Wilton star tip for the white stocking cuff
• Color 2/3 of frosting red; leave 1/3 white

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Christmas Stocking Cookies

Addictive buttery Christmas roll-out cookies with buttercream icing.

Course Cookies

Servings 2 dozen 5" cookies

Author Allie

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

• 1/2 cup butter room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Butter Cream Icing:

• 1/4 cup butter room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 tablespoons cream or half and half
• gel or powder red food coloring
• Optional: coarse sparkling white sugar

Instructions

Cookie Dough:

• Cream butter.
• Add sugar to creamed butter.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Sift flour with baking powder and salt. (Or mix well with a fork like I do!)
• Stir dry ingredients into creamed ones.
• Chill dough, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, for 1 hour.
• Roll out thin (about 1/16" thick) on a generously floured surface
• Transfer cut out cookies to parchment lined baking sheet.
• Refrigerate baking sheet of cookies 10 minutes before baking.
• Bake for 6-8 minutes at 350 degrees, until just browning on the edges.
• Watch closely at the six-minute mark.
• Cool and frost or freeze.

Butter Cream Icing:

• Cream butter.
• Add in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.
• Mix in vanilla and cream, 'til it's the consistency you want.
• Separate frosting into two bowls: leave 1/3 white, and color 2/3 red.
• Stir in red food coloring a little at a time 'til you get the color you like.
• Mix well.
• Frost stockings red with the butter knife or spatula.
• Use a decorating bag and Wilton frosting star tip #16 to make stars on the cuff.
• Sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar.

Please follow Through Her Looking Glass on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter handle @thruherglass. Thank you!

If you enjoyed this cookie recipe, here are some links to other favorites on my blog:

Sugared Pecan Pumpkin Ice Cream

Famous Brick Street Chocolate Cake

Honey Roasted Dill Carrots

The post Christmas Stocking Cookies appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

With October comes lots of fun and lots of treats, especially as Halloween approaches. Also a whole lot of added sugar. At our house, we’re having fun, but behind the scenes I’m trying to cut down a tad on the sugar (shhhhhh….) with these Peanut Butter M&M Protein Clusters. I also have another challenge. My littlest guy Hudson (5) has Down syndrome. With that diagnosis come lots of joys and various challenges. Right now we’re dealing with some food challenges. Hudson will eat anything with carbs. But barely any protein.

I developed this yummy snacking recipe today in an effort to give my family and especially Hudson a fun snack, but with less sugar and a higher protein content.

Years ago I made this recipe as a bar. Back then the ingredient list included sugar and corn syrup. But when Cheerios recently came out with a high protein version a few months ago, I started thinking about revamping this recipe a little. Instead of regular Cheerios, this recipe uses the high protein version of Cheerios. Instead of sugar, it uses brown rice syrup. (Found near the corn syrup in the baking section.) Peanut butter and peanuts add even more protein. And these yummy and addictive Peanut Butter M&M Protein Clusters are the result.

You can make this recipe into bars instead of clusters. Brown rice syrup isn’t quite as sticky as corn syrup, so if you make these into bars, they’ll be crumbly.

If your family loves peanut butter and chocolate, they’ll love this easy snack. Takes about five minutes to make. The perfect munchie for game day, lunch boxes or parties. And only you will be the wiser that it’s healthier. The M&Ms tempt even the pickiest of eaters like my little Hudson.

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Peanut Butter M&M Protein Clusters

A fun and easy healthier protein-packed snack for all ages. Addictive!

Course Snack

Servings 8 cups

Author Allie

Ingredients

• 2 cups M&Ms
• 2 cups dry roasted peanuts
• 6 cups Cheerios with protein
• 1 cup brown rice syrup
• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, combine M&Ms, dry roasted peanuts and Protein Cheerios.
• In a sauce pan, bring brown rice syrup to a near boil, gently stirring.
• Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla.
• Pour over cereal mixture in mixing bowl and combine.
• Spread onto lightly greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.
• Refrigerate for 15 or 20 minutes.
• Break into clusters and store in an airtight container.

You may also like these recipes:

Pumpkin Maple Dip

Cinnamon Swirl Pumpkin French Toast

Slow Cooker Cranberry Dijon Pork Roast

The post Peanut Butter M&M Protein Clusters appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.

You are going to love this Lemon Cheesecake Recipe!

Well hello there! Have we met? I’m Allie from Through Her Looking Glass, a uniquely New England lifestyle blog in New Hampshire. Mom of four boys. Writer. Baker of delicious culinary creations. Today I’m excited to share a spectacular Lemon Bar Cheesecake recipe I pinned from Southern Living.

This cheesecake combines a sweet and crunchy crust, creamy cheesecake and tangy homemade lemon curd. All garnished with gorgeous DIY tart candied lemon slices. Everyone needs at least one showstopper dessert in their recipe box and this is IT!

True confession. If you’d mentioned eating lemon curd to me when I was a kid, I probably would’ve freaked out.

Yeah curds. 

So little kid me thought curds were… cat food. Interesting mental picture. Merriam-Webster dictionary says curds are actually the thickened or solid part of milk that separates from the whey after milk sours.

And lemon curd, my friends, is most decidedly NOT Purina Cat Chow. 

Lemon curd is one of the creamiest most delightful culinary inventions ever created. Great as a spread, slathered between cake layers, in pies and as an ice cream topper. Go ahead, slurp it from a spoon. (Not that I’d know anything about that.) Lemon curd is simultaneously sweet and mouth-puckeringly tart. Eggs, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, sugar and pure butter combine to silky smooth perfection. Lemon curd is fit for royalty. (Suitable for the likes of you and me.)

I suggest you begin this Lemon Bar Cheesecake recipe a day or two in advance of when you’ll serve it. And sure hope you like to chill out. ‘Cause there’s lots of chillin’ involved in this recipe. The dough, lemon curd and baked cheesecake all need significant chill time. Don’t hustle, bustle and rush making this dessert. Savor each delicious step! (Especially eating it!)

Process the dough in the food processor, then chill before rolling out and placing in a 9″ springform pan. Chill again.

Fill with creamy cheesecake batter and swirl with homemade lemon curd. Bake cheesecake. Cool. Then chill cheesecake and spread with lemon curd.

Optional: Garnish with gorgeous Candied Lemon Slices. (May I suggest: you’ve already come this far….just go the whole way baby.) I got such a charge putting this Lemon Bar Cheesecake together, adding the final gourmet touch with candied lemon slices.

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Lemon Bar Cheesecake

Deliciously sweet and crunchy crust, creamy cheesecake and tangy homemade lemon curd. Garnished with tart candied lemons.

Course Dessert

Servings 1 - 9" cheesecake

Author Allie

Ingredients

Lemon Curd:

• 6 lemons for 1 cup of fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of lemon zest
• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs

Cheesecake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter cubed
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 - 2 tablespoons ice cold water
• 4 8 ounce packages Philadelphia brand cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups lemon curd divided

Optional: Candied Lemon slices for garnish

• 2 small lemons
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup water

Instructions

Lemon Curd:

• Grate enough zest from lemons to get 2 tablespoons.
• Squeeze lemons 'til you get the 1 cup you need.
• Separately in a microwave proof bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer 'til blended.
• Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, blending just until incorporated.
• Slowly add lemon juice, beating at low speed until blended.
• Stir in lemon zest.
• (At this point, it looks curdled.)
• Microwave at high for 5 minutes, stirring once every minute.
• Then microwave a little longer, stirring at 30 second intervals, just for 1-2 more minutes.
• Lemon curd will thicken, and coat the back of a spoon, and start to mound slightly.
• Cover warm curd with plastic wrap directly on it (to prevent a film from forming) and chill a minimum of four hours or 'til firm.
• Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Optional Candied Lemon Slices:

• Slice 2 lemons into 1/8 " thick rounds, removing seeds.
• Stir together sugar, lemon juice and water in large skillet.
• Heat over medium heat 'til sugar dissolves completely.
• Carefully a lemon slices, and simmer gently for 14-16 minutes.
• Keep lemon slices in a single layer, turning every so often.
• When lemons are translucent and rinds are soft, remove from the heat.
• Using tongs, place candied lemon slices in a single layer on wax-paper or parchment lined baking sheet.
• Cool completely for about an hour.
• Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours and as long as two days.
• Reserve syrup for another use.

Cheesecake:

• Pulse first three ingredient in food processor until blended.
• Add butter and pulse until just crumbly.
• Separately, whisk together egg yolks and 1 tablespoon ice water in a small bowl.
• Add to flour butter mixture and process 'til dough forms a ball.
• Add up to 1 tablespoon more water, 1 teaspoon at a time if necessary to hold it together.
• Shape dough ball into a flat disk and wrap tightly in plastic.
• Chill for a minimum of four hours before rolling out.
• Roll dough into a 14 " circle on a lightly floured surface using a rolling pin.
• Fit dough into a lightly greased 9" dark springform pan.
• Press dough onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
• With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, trim away excess dough around the top edge.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• In medium mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until just blended.
• Add eggs, one at a time and beat until just mixed in.
• Beat in vanilla.
• Pour 2/3 of cheesecake batter (about 4 cups) into prepared crust.
• Spoon 1 cup lemon curd over the cheesecake batter.
• Gently swirl with a butter knife.
• Spoon remaining cheesecake batter on top.
• Bake at 325 degrees for an hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or just until center is set.
• (Cheesecake should just be turning golden.)
• Turn oven off.
• Let cheesecake stay in the oven, with the door closed, an additional 15 minutes.
• Remove cheesecake from oven.
• Carefully run a knife around the outer edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan.
• (But don't remove the sides of pan. Yet.)
• Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about one hour.
• Cover tightly and chill 8-24 hours.
• Remove the sides of the pan and transfer cheesecake to a cake platter.
• Spoon remaining 1 cup lemon curd over cheesecake.
• Optional: Garnish with Candied Lemon Slices

Mouth wateringly delicious and highly addictive: Lemon Bar Cheesecake

Please follow Through Her Looking Glass on Pinterest , Facebook and Twitter handle @thruherglass. Thank you!

Other Through Her Looking Glass recipes you may enjoy:

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

Crunchy Asian Salad

Blueberry Pound Cake

The post Lemon Cheesecake Recipe appeared first on TGIF - This Grandma is Fun.