This recipe takes awhile from start to finish, but there is nothing better than a refreshing piece of cheesecake.
Ingredients: 6 graham crackers or 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, 4 large eggs, at room temperature, 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature, 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup sour cream. Topping: 1 1/2 cups sour cream, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Instructions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Cut a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and wrap the outside of the pan with the foil. Have ready a roasting pan at least 2 inches deep and large enough to hold the foil-wrapped springform pan to use to bake the cake (water bath).
Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs; place in small bowl and add melted butter. Mix until combined. Pour crumb mixture into the prepared pan and, using your fingers, press it evenly onto the pan bottom. Bake the crust until it turns slightly darker, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool slightly.
After making sure the eggs are at room temperature, crack into small bowl and stir until yolks and whites are blended; set aside.
In large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract; beat for 1 minute. Add half of the eggs and mix until well blended, another minute. Add final half of eggs and continue beating. Mix in the heavy cream and sour cream and beat just until no white streaks are visible, about 1 minute.
Pour the filling onto the prebaked crust, spreading evenly. Put the filled springform pan in the roasting pan and carefully slide the roasting pan on the oven rack. Slowly pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan (water bath).
Bake undisturbed for 55 minutes. If the cake looks set, give the pan a gentle shake, being careful not to splash any water. If the top wobbles, set the timer for another 5 minutes. Repeat this process until the cheesecake is done. Tiny cracks along the edges are an indication that the cheesecake is ready (They disappear as the cake cools.)
While cake is baking, make topping: In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla extract. Using a whisk, beat the mixture until well blended.
Carefully remove cheesecake, still in its water bath, from the oven. Use a narrow-bladed icing spatula to spread the sour cream topping gently and evenly over the top of the baked cheesecake. Return to oven and bake until the topping firms slightly, about 10 minutes.
Transfer the cheesecake in the water bath to a wire rack. Let the cheesecake cool for 1 hour, then lift the springform pan from the water bath. Remove the roasting pan and return the springform pan to the wire rack. Remove the foil wrapping and let the cake cool on the rack for 1 hour longer. The top should feel cool to the touch. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cake in the pan for at least 6 hours or up to overnight before serving.
About 45 minutes before you plan to serve it, remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator to let the flavors emerge. Remove the plastic wrap and discard. Run a thin knife along the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake, keeping the knife pressed against the pan sides. Release the pan sides and lift off.
Using the thin knife, loosen the crust from the pan bottom. Slip 2 wide metal spatulas about three-fourths of the way under the cheesecake and slide it onto a serving plate. If serving right away, cut the cheesecake into slices. Or, wrap the uncut cheesecake with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Serves 16.
Williams-Sonoma "Mastering Cakes, Fillings & Frostings", Free Press, A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, NY, 2005, shortened version.
"Let's Bake a Cake!"
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