Ingredients
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1/2 cup sugar
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1 lemon, zest of, finely grated
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1 large egg yolk
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1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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1 cup all-purpose flour
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5 (8 ounce) packages neufchatel cheese, at room temperature
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1 3/4 cups sugar
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4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
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1/4 teaspoon salt
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1 lemon, zest of, finely grated
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1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
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5 large eggs
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2 large egg yolks
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1/4 cup heavy cream
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3 cups ripe strawberries, rinsed,patted dry,and stems removed
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3/4 cup sugar
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1/3 cup water
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1 pinch salt
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1 tablespoon water
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1 orange, zest of, finely grated
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4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces.
Instructions
- For the pastry, place the sugar and lemon zest in a food processor for 5 seconds.
- Add the butter, egg yolk, water, and vanilla and pulse until the mixture looks granular and lumpy; the butter should be in about 1/4-inch pieces.
- Add the flour and pulse rapidly 20 to 30 times, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, until the mixture almost gathers into a ball.
- Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and press the dough into a 1-inch-thick cake.
- Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower third position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
- Detach the sides; set aside.
- Cut off slightly less than one half of the dough.
- Break it into pieces, and scatter them over the springform bottom.
- Press firmly and evenly with your fingertips to make a thin layer.
- Set the bottom crust in the oven and bake until pale golden brown, about 8 minutes.
- Remove from the oven with a wide metal spatula and set on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- In- crease the oven temperature to 525 degrees.
- Shape the remaining pastry into a square.
- Roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle slightly larger than 10x6-inches.
- With a large sharp knife, trim away the edges so that the pastry measures 10x6-inches.
- Cut the pastry crosswise into five 2-inch strips.
- Reassemble the springform pan.
- Line the sides of the pan with 4 of the pastry strips, pressing the pieces firmly together where their edges meet and pressing the pastry firmly against the pan so that it will stay in place.
- Cut what you need from the last strip to fill in the last gap.
- Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
- For the filling, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
- Add the sugar, flour, salt, zests, and vanilla and beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating only until thoroughly incorporated, about 15 seconds after each.
- Beat for another 30 seconds.
- On low speed, beat in the heavy cream.
- Scrape the mixture into the pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 200 degrees and bake for 1 hour longer; the top will be golden brown.
- Cool to room temperature on a rack.
- Cover loosely and refrigerate for at least 6 hours; overnight is best.
- For the strawberry sauce, if the strawberries are small, reserve 1 cup of the prettiest ones.
- If they are large, slice enough to make 1 cup.
- Set aside.
- Place the remaining berries in a medium saucepan and crush with a potato masher.
- Add the sugar, water, salt, and cornstarch.
- Stir well with a heat- proof rubber spatula, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly thickened.
- Remove from the heat and add the butter, lemon juice, and reserved berries.
- Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.
- (The sauce can be made a day ahead.) To serve, run a small sharp knife around the edges of the cake to release the pastry and carefully remove the sides of the pan.
- Rinse a knife in hot water, shake off the excess water, and slice.
- Serve each portion with a spoonful of the strawberry sauce.
- Refrigerate leftovers.