Lemon Cheesecake Tart

Lemon Cheesecake Tart

Crust: 1 cup butter                 2 egg yolks or 1 whole egg
           1 cup sugar                 2 1/2 cups flour
           1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter until soft. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Then add egg yolks and beat until creamy. Gradually stir in flour until will mixed. Lightly butter the Tart Molds. Take a small piece of dough (about 1 T.) and press into mold, spreading dough as thin as possible. Place on cookie sheet in center of oven and bake at 325F for about 10 min. Cool and remove from tart mold, being very careful not to break the tart, as they are very fragile.

Cream Cheese Filling:
            8 oz. cream cheese, softened
            1 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
            1 egg
            1 tsp. pure lemon extract
Cream cheese and sugar until smooth in medium bowl with electric mixer or hand blender. Add egg and lemon extract and beat until light and smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

Lemon Curd
            4 egg yolks                            2 lemons grated for 2 tsp peel
            1 Tbsp cornstarch                  1/4 C. lemon juice
            3/4 Cup sugar                        2 T.softened butter
            3/4 cup water
Blend the egg yolks with the cornstarch and sugar in med non-aluminum saucepan. place over low heat and slowly whisk inwater and lemon juice. Increase heat to med-low and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat. Add lemon peel and butter and cool for 10 min.

To assemble the tarts:
 
Spread chilled cream cheese filling evenly over cooled tart crusts with spatula. Spread lemon curd evenly over cream cheese filling. Place tarts back into molds to prevent them flattening while baking then place tarts on cookie sheet in center of oven and bake 10-15 min til edges begin to turn light golden brown. Cool to room temperature then chill in refrigerator. Dust top with powdered sugar or garnish with edible flower like the violet shown in photo.