CRUST
1 cup flour
4 Tbsp sugar
Peel of ½ to 1 lemon, finely grated
8 Tbsp butter (one stick)
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla

FILLING
24 oz (3 three packages) cream cheese, room temperature
Peel of ½ to 1 ½ lemon, finely grated
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
¼ tsp salt
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
¼ cup milk

CRUST
Combine the flour sugar and lemon peel, then cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in the egg yolk and 1 tsp vanilla until just mixed. Do not overwork.
Press 1/3 of the dough onto the bottom of a 9" springform pan with the sides removed. Bake the bottom for 7 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden; cool.
Replace the side on the springform pan and press the remaining dough onto the sides until just below the rim.

FILLING
Beat the cream cheese, lemon peel and vanilla until fluffy.
Mix the dry ingredients then gradually stir into the cream cheese mixture.
Add the 2 eggs and the egg yolk, beating until just combined. Fold in milk and pour filling into crust lined pan.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake 50-60 minutes longer until the center is set.
Cool 15 minutes before carefully loosening and removing the sides of the pan.
Chill thoroughly before topping with your favorite berries or just eating it plain.