First make up your lemon curd filling it needs time to cool down.
Lemon Curd
3 large eggs
3/4 cup castor sugar
Juice of 2 medium sized lemons
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
Lemon zest of 1 medium sized lemon
In a bowl over a pot of simmering water add eggs, sugar and lemon juice and continually whisk for about 10 minutes until mixture is blended and comes together and starts to thicken.
Remove from heat and pour mixture through a fine strainer in case there are any lumps. Add butter 1 tbsp at a time and whisk through until the butter melts and then add the lemon zest.
Cover in cling wrap so a skin does not form.
Allow to cool completely. I placed in the fridge.
This recipe yields 3 1/2 cups lemon curd. Also ideal for use in a lemon meringue tart. Excess curd may be stored for up to 2 weeks in a glass container in the fridge.
Pastry
1x Roll of Todays Puff pastry thawed in the fridge. Pastry must be cold
Preheat oven to 180 C
Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface in a square measuring 13 x 10 inches.
Place on a large baking tray sprinkled with a little cornflour.
Wet all four edges with a little water and fold the edges over to form a ridge.
Prick middle of pastry with a fork.
Glaze with a lightly beaten egg.
Sprinkle 1 tbsp castor sugar over pastry.
Bake for 20 mins or until golden brown.
Remove from oven, flatten the centre of pastry with the back of a spoon as the pastry will puff up.
Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Cheesecake Filling
1 x Tub (250 g ) medium fat smooth cream cheese softened with a wooden spoon add 1/2 cup icing sugar and beat with a mixer until combined then add 1/4 cup fresh whipping cream, beat for a further minute.
Add 1/2 cup cold lemon curd ( recipe above ) and fold in with a spatula.
Spread lemon cheesecake filling over pastry decorate with fresh raspberries and red cherries.
Dust with icing sugar.
You can use any fresh fruits you desire
Prepared, tried & tested by: Gail Haselsteiner