Down South, we’re big fans of citrus. We love cooking with oranges, limes, and grapefruit, but there’s something about lemon that holds a sweet spot in our hearts.
Especially when combined with other fresh fruit flavors, like blueberry or raspberry, lemon brings brightness and tartness to desserts to make them dynamic. These bright and delicious lemon desserts will be the hit of any gathering you bring them to, and I'm sure everyone will ask you for the recipe.
Lemon Bar Cheesecake Recipe
This indulgent recipe marries two delicious desserts: lemon bars and cheesecake. Using a dark springform pan ensures a golden-brown crust on this tart dessert recipe without having to bake before adding the filling. Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
2 egg yolks
1 to 2 Tbsp. ice-cold water
4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups Quick and Easy Lemon Curd, divided
Candied Lemon Slices (optional)
Preparation
Step 1 Pulse first 3 ingredients in a food processor 3 or 4 times or just until blended. Add butter, and pulse 5 or 6 times or until crumbly. Whisk together egg yolks and 1 Tbsp. ice-cold water in a small bowl; add to butter mixture, and process until dough forms a ball and pulls away from sides of the bowl, adding up to 1 Tbsp. remaining ice-cold water, 1 tsp. at a time, if necessary. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 4 to 24 hours.
Step 2 Roll dough into a 14-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a lightly greased 9-inch dark springform pan, gently pressing on bottom and up sides of pan; trim and discard excess dough. Chill 30 minutes.
Step 3 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325°. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 minutes or until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
Step 4 Pour two-thirds of cheesecake batter (about 4 cups) into prepared crust; dollop 1 cup lemon curd over batter in the pan, and gently swirl with a knife. Spoon remaining batter into pan.
Step 5 Bake at 325° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or just until center is set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with the door closed, 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven, and gently run a knife around the outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of the pan. (Do not remove sides of the pan. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
Step 6 Remove sides of the pan, and transfer cheesecake to a serving platter. Spoon remaining 1 cup lemon curd over cheesecake, and, if desired, top with Candied Lemon Slices.
******************************************************
Citrus Pull-Apart Bread
A bright, fresh centerpiece doesn't just have to be a bouquet of flowers in a vase. A striking loaf of tangy, soft Citrus Pull-Apart Bread – complete with sweet, sticky citrus frosting – will have all your guests gathering around the table. Although this recipe takes a little time to pull together, the end result is absolutely worth it. In between the soft, homemade bread layers is just enough lemon and orange zest filling to flavor the loaf, and then you top the dough with a sweet, creamy egg white-based syrup that soaks in for this mouth-watering treat. Citrus Pull-Apart Bread is a highly-rated recipe because of its elegant presentation and hands-on serving approach.
I can’t get enough of this sweet bread. This recipe makes two loaves—you can keep one and share the other.
Ingredients
1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1 (1/4-oz.) envelope active dry yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened and divided
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Vegetable cooking spray
Citrus Filling
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey
1 large egg white
Fresh Citrus Glaze- see video
***************************************************
Lemon Champagne Thumbprint Cookies
Of all the things I love about the cookies, baking cookies with my own JELLIES just might be my adult-go-too favorite. When it comes to tried-and-true flavor combos, sweet and tangy is hard to beat.
A dollop of my luxury fruity Pink Moscato Champagne or Artisan Pineapple jelly to these fresh lemony cookies, and you’ll be raking in rave reviews at every serving.
Buttery, sweet, and moist, they're also simple to make. You'll roll the cookie dough into balls, then indent them with your thumb to create space for a spoonful of my delicious jelly.
These lemon thumbprint cookies deserve to be served on a silver platter. Yes, they are simple but they are elegantly fancy.
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
5 1/4 all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Angie Mamma’s Pink Moscato and/or Pineapple Champagne Jelly
Instructions:
Step 1 Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy; add powdered and granulated sugars, beating well. Add eggs, oil, and lemon juice, beating until blended.
Step 2 Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; gradually add to sugar mixture, beating until blended.
Step 3 Shape dough into 1-inch balls, and place about 2 inches apart on lightly greased baking sheets. Press thumb in the center of each cookie to make an indentation.
Step 4 Bake, in batches, at 350° for 9 to 11 minutes or until set. (Do not brown.) Remove to wire racks to cool. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon jelly in each indentation and let set.
Get your Fancy Champagne Jellies here: www.angiemammas.com/jellies
