In a medium size saucepan, whisk the eggs and sugar until combined. Add in lemon juice, zest, and salt. Heat over medium heat while whisking constantly for 2-3 minutes.

Add in the butter and continue to whisk until melted. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat and transfer into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and press the plastic wrap down so it touches the top of the curd and prevents a film from forming across the top.

Chill for 3 hours, or overnight before using in the cheesecake. You will likely have extras after making the cheesecake, but leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 3 months.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 10-inch springform pan by spraying lightly with cooking spray.

Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together. This should resemble damp sand.

Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared springform pan and press evenly into the pan. You can use the bottom of a flat glass or a flat measuring cup to really press it in well and get a nice, even crust.

Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Keep the oven on as the cheesecake will bake at the same temperature.

Add the sugar and lemon zest to a small bowl. Use a fork to combine the sugar and zest, releasing the oils from the zest into the sugar to make lemon sugar. It should be quite fragrant.

Add the softened cream cheese to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer and beat with a paddle at medium/high speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few seconds more.

Add the eggs one at a time and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds-1 minute. Scrape the bowl again.

Using 18 inch heavy duty aluminum foil, wrap the outside of the springform pan with 4 sheets of foil, ensuring the sheets are long enough to go up all sides of the pan. You can use regular foil, but it may take a couple more sheets to ensure the water does not get into the pan.

Place the wrapped pan in a deep roasting pan. You can alternatively use a baking sheet, so long as the sides are about 2 inches deep.

Add half of the cheesecake batter to the pan. Spoon ¾-1 cup of lemon curd over the filling and then top with the remaining cheesecake batter.

Spoon about 1 cup of lemon curd over the top in line. Use the back of a knife to drag through the curd, swirling it into the cheesecake.

Using very hot water, add water to the baking sheet/ until there is about 1 ½ inch of water around the springform pan. carefully move your pan to a rack in the oven that is positioned in the lower third of the oven.

Bake for 1-1 ½ hours. After about an hour of baking, check the cheesecake’s consistency. A slight jiggle of the pan (while still in the oven) should tell you if it’s ready or needs more time. The cheesecake should be jiggly, but not liquid. If it seems very liquidy still, give it 15 more minutes and check it again.

Once the cheesecake is fairly firm but still has a slight wobble, turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour or so, until the oven has cooled down. Resist the temptation to open the oven during this time! The purpose of this step is to allow the cheesecake to cool slowly as the oven cools. Doing this will prevent it from cracking, as one of the biggest reasons cheesecakes crack is the drastic temperature change going from the hot oven into the much cooler kitchen.

Once the oven and the cheesecake are cooled, remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil lining the pan.

Chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours, or overnight before serving. If you like an extra punch of lemon, top the cheesecake with the remaining lemon curd.