LEMON CHEESECAKE SQUARES
Creamy • Fresh • Malinis ang hiwa • Social-media style
🧾 INGREDIENTS
🔸 CRUST (Bottom Layer)
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup melted butter (or margarine)
- ¼ cup white sugar
🔸 LEMON CHEESECAKE FILLING (Middle Layer)
- 2 packs (250g bawat isa) cream cheese (room temperature)
- 1 can (300–370ml) condensed milk
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (pwede calamansi + lemon)
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
🔸 CREAM TOPPING (Top Layer)
- 1½ cups all-purpose cream (chilled overnight)
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
🥣 DETAILED PROCEDURE
🥧 STEP 1: GAWIN ANG CRUST
- Sa bowl, pagsamahin ang graham crumbs, sugar, at melted butter.
- Haluin hanggang parang basang buhangin ang texture.
- I-press ng mabuti sa lined 8×8 o 9×9 baking pan.
👉 Dapat pantay at siksik para hindi madurog. - Optional bake:
- Bake sa 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes
- OR i-chill sa ref ng 30 minutes (no-bake option).
🍋 STEP 2: LEMON CHEESECAKE FILLING
- I-beat ang cream cheese hanggang totally smooth (walang buo).
- Unti-unting idagdag ang condensed milk, beat on low speed.
- Idagdag ang lemon juice, lemon zest, at vanilla.
- Beat hanggang makinis, creamy, at medyo makapal.
👉 Huwag overmix para hindi maging watery. - Ibuhos ang filling sa crust.
- Pantayin ang ibabaw gamit ang spatula.
❄️ STEP 3: CHILLING
- I-ref ng 4–6 hours (mas maganda overnight).
- Dapat firm na firm bago lagyan ng topping.
🍦 STEP 4: CREAM TOPPING
- Sa malamig na bowl, i-whip ang all-purpose cream.
- Kapag medyo makapal na, idagdag ang powdered sugar at vanilla.
- I-whip hanggang stiff peaks (hindi umaagos).
- I-spread evenly sa ibabaw ng cheesecake.
- Optional: lagyan ng lemon zest tulad sa picture.
🔪 STEP 5: CUTTING (PARA MALINIS ANG HIWA)
- I-freeze ng 20–30 minutes bago hiwain.
- Gumamit ng mainit na kutsilyo (punasan bawat hiwa).
- Hiwain ng squares gaya ng nasa picture.
💰 PANG-BENTA TIPS
✔ Shelf life: 3–4 days refrigerated
✔ Mas firm kung overnight chill
✔ Pwede lagyan ng lemon curd sa gitna para mas premium
✔ Perfect for dessert box / tray orders