Easy Easter Treats - Lemon Cheesecake Easter Eggs

by Jaelyn Penner

The bluebonnets are blooming, the sun is shining and Easter is on its way!
I absolutely love this time of year because of the very things that Easter symbolizes - rebirth, renewal and lots of chocolate (right?).

OK, ok... technically, we could have Easter without chocolate, but that sure would be less delicious.   To show my gratitude for this tasty treat and this special day,  I am sharing with you one of the easiest, yummiest, cutest Easter desserts you can possibly make.  It's perfectly themed and just the right size serving size for your guests.  You can make it from scratch, or you can buy all the ingredients pre-made (or at least nearly made) and put together in a snap!

If you are new to the "Lemon Curd Experience" as I like to call it, be prepared for a party in your mouth!  In curd, the tartness of lemon is combined with decadent butter and eggs for a silky, absolutely heavenly concoction.  Combine it with the creamy cheesecake, chocolate-y shell, and sweet crunch of the graham cracker in this dessert...  just yum.

Lemon Curd from  Williams-Sonoma

Lemon Cheesecake Easter Eggs

makes one dozen eggs with nests

Graham Cracker Nest:

•     2 cups graham cracker crumbs
•     One stick, plus 3 T butter, melted
•     1/3 cup sugar (you can substitute turbinado sugar for white)
•     Pinch of salt

1. Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper.  
2. Mix all ingredients together until well-combined.  
3. Using your hands, shape appr. 2T into round nest with middle indent just large enough for the egg to sit in.  Try to form it so that the egg will remain stable when sitting on the nest.  
4. Place on the cookie sheet. Continue until you have 12, then place nests in the fridge to chill and set.

Cheesecake Eggs:

•     1 Jar of Lemon Curd (you can usually find jars of this in the jelly or baking aisle, or use this recipe from Ina Garten)
•     1 No-Bake Cheesecake (you can buy a Jello brand mix at the store, or use this recipe from Martha Stewart - no need to prepare her crust, only do Step #4.  Don't chill the mixture until you've filled the eggs - see steps below.)
•     Hollow Chocolate Eggs (store purchased)

1. Remove all wrapping from 12 hollow chocolate eggs.  With a warm knife, carefully cut away the top 1/4-1/3 of the egg, leaving the lower portion intact.  This doesn't have to be perfect!  It just has to look like a broken egg and be able to hold enough cheesecake to satisfy your guests. 
2. Mix the cheesecake filling according to directions.  Instead of chilling, fill a pastry bag with the fresh mixture.  Using a large tip, pipe some of the cheesecake filling into each egg, just below the top of the egg.  Leave a small depression for the lemon curd.
3. Place the eggs broken side up in an empty egg carton or back in their own containers and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes.

 To Assemble and Serve:  

1. Remove the nests and the eggs from the fridge.  Place nest(s) on your serving dish.  
2. Fill a small pastry bag with 1 c. of the lemon curd.  Using a small tip, slowly pipe the lemon curd into the indented spot in the cheesecake, until the curd resembles an egg yolk.  Fill bottom-to-top, do not use a swirling motion.
3. Place the egg on its "nest" and repeat for all eggs.  You can pipe a very small spot of curd onto the nest to help hold the egg in place if desired.
4. Enjoy!