Melt the butter over low heat.
Finely grind the tea biscuits in a food processor until they resemble fine crumbs.
Pour in the melted butter and process or stir until all the crumbs are evenly moistened.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared springform pan.
Press firmly and evenly across the bottom using the back of a spoon or flat-bottomed measuring cup.
Refrigerate while making the filling.
Make the Lemon Cheesecake Batter
Step 3 – Mix the Cream Cheese Base
Place the cream cheese, crème fraîche, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a large bowl.
Mix on low speed only until smooth and evenly combined.
Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
Once smooth, put the electric mixer away.
Step 4 – Add the Eggs
Add one egg.
Fold gently with a spatula until just incorporated.
Repeat with the remaining eggs, one at a time.
The finished batter should be creamy and smooth but not airy or foamy.
Create the Lemon Curd Center
Step 5 – Add the First Cheesecake Layer
Pour approximately half of the cheesecake batter over the chilled biscuit base.
Smooth gently.
Step 6 – Add the Lemon Curd
Transfer the 125g lemon curd to a piping bag or spoon it carefully over the cheesecake layer.
Pipe it in a spiral or scattered ribbons, keeping it slightly away from the outer edge.
Step 7 – Cover with Remaining Batter
Spoon the remaining cheesecake batter carefully over the lemon curd.
Smooth the top gently without disturbing the lemon layer underneath.
Bake the Cheesecake
Bake at 255°F (125°C) for approximately 60–65 minutes.
The outer portion should look set, while the center should still wobble slightly when the pan is gently moved.
Do not wait until the center becomes completely firm.
Turn off the oven.
Leave the cheesecake inside the switched-off oven for 1 hour.
If desired, crack the oven door slightly during the latter part of this cooling period.
Then remove the cheesecake and let it cool completely to room temperature.
The Secret to Preventing Cheesecake Cracks
Cracks usually come from too much air, excessive heat, overbaking, or rapid cooling.
This recipe addresses all four.
Mixing gently limits incorporated air. The low baking temperature prevents the filling from puffing aggressively. Removing the cheesecake while the center still has a slight wobble avoids overbaking. Finally, leaving it in the cooling oven slows the temperature change.
A cheesecake that looks slightly underdone in the center when the oven turns off will usually become perfectly creamy after chilling.
Make the White Chocolate Ganache
Place the finely chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
Heat the heavy cream until it is steaming and almost boiling.
Pour it over the white chocolate.
Let it sit undisturbed for 1 minute.
Then stir slowly from the center outward until completely smooth and glossy.
Let the ganache cool slightly before spreading it over the cooled cheesecake.
Decorate with Lemon Curd
Spread the white chocolate ganache evenly across the top.
Pipe the remaining 35g lemon curd in thin lines, dots, or a spiral.
Drag a toothpick gently through the lemon curd and ganache to create a decorative feathered or marbled pattern.