How to make
Preheat the oven to 360°F (180 °C). In a bowl, combine the sifted flour, sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until smooth. Pour the mixture into a greased cake form and gently press. Put it to bake for 12-15 minutes, then let it cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (150 °C).
For the filling, beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth and fluffy and gradually add sugar. Then mix in the flour, scrape in the seeds from the vanilla pod, add the vanilla extract, grated lemon rind and salt. Beat everything very well. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Pour the mixture over the baked cake layer.
Put the cake form in a water bath to bake for about 90 minutes. Take the baked American cheesecake out and leave to cool to room temperature. Then leave for 1 night in the refrigerator.
Optionally, you can make candied lemon jelly peels. Cut the peels of the lemons into small thin strips and blanch them for 2 minutes. Strain them and put them to cook in 1 1/2 cups water and 1 cup sugar.
Boil them for about 15 minutes. Finally, into the slightly cooled mixture, add a packet of gelatin, which you've soaked and dissolved in water ahead of time. Once the liquid is cooled, pour it over the cake and place it in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. Arrange the candied lemon peels on the sides of cheesecake.
