Golden Citrus

Abuela’s Original, turned toward the light. Lemon three ways — zest, juice and extract — folded into the same seven-ingredient batter. Just as creamy at the center, brighter on the finish.

Same recipe, same technique, one addition. We start from Abuela's Original — our grandmother's cheesecake, the one everything here is built on — and work lemon into the batter itself, so it bakes in rather than sitting on top. Zest for aroma, fresh juice for acidity, a touch of extract to carry it through the heat.

The cake comes out of the oven with the bronze, caramelized top and the barely-set, creamy center exactly where they should be. What changes is the finish. The citrus lifts the richness and cleans the palate, so the second slice is as easy as the first, and the aroma reaches the table before the plate does.

Serve it 30 minutes out of the fridge, when the center is at its creamiest and the lemon comes forward. Cut with a warm, dry knife.