I was craving cheesecake, so I made one, it turned out pretty good, this recipe is definitely a keeper! I've made this recipe twice now, and have modified the ingredients to fit my apparently 8inch springform pan. If you have a 9 inch, I added the address at the bottom where I originally found this recipe. I've found that it does me no good just to link to recipes, like on Pinterest, because if the party who put the recipe there takes it down, the recipe is gone. That's why I started keeping recipes like this, here.
Crust
- 2 cups (475 ml) of Graham cracker crumbs (from a little less than 2 packages Graham crackers) or if you buy the box of crumbs like I do, you can make 2 cheesecakes from one box
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- Pinch salt
- 5 Tbsp (70 g) unsalted butter (if using salted butter, omit the pinch of salt), melted
Filling
- 2 pounds cream cheese (900 g), room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar (270 g)
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup sour cream (160 ml)
- 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (160 ml)
I stop here, but if you want a sourcream topping, the recipe follows:
Toppings
- 2 cups sour cream (475 ml)
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar (35 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 12 ounces (340 g) fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 cup water (120 ml)
1 Prepare the springform pan so that no water leaks into it
while cooking.* Place a large 18-inch by 18-inch square of aluminum foil
on a flat surface. Place the springform pan in the middle of the foil.
Gently fold up the sides of the foil around the pan. Make sure to do
this gently so that you don't create any holes in the foil. If there are
any holes, water will get into the pan and ruin the crust. Press the
foil around the edges of the pan. Place a second large square of foil
underneath the pan, and repeat, gently folding up the sides of the foil
around the pan and pressing the foil against the pan. Gently crimp the
top of the foil sheets around the top edge of the pan.
2 Preheat oven to 350°F, with rack in lower third of oven.
Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor or blender until finely
ground. Put in a large bowl, and stir in the sugar and salt. Use your
(clean) hands to stir in the melted butter.
3 Put all but 1/4 cup of the graham cracker crumbs in the bottom
of the springform pan. (Save the remaining 1/4 cup for if you happen to
have any holes that need to be filled in, either while you are making
the crust, or after the cake has cooked and you've unmolded it.) Gently
press down on the crumbs using your fingers, until the crumbs are a nice
even layer at the bottom of the pan, with maybe just a slight rise
along the inside edges of the pan. Be careful as you do this, as not to
tear the aluminum foil. Place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from
the oven and let cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
4 Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in the bowl of an
electric mixer, with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 4
minutes until smooth, soft and creamy. Add the sugar, beat for 4 minutes
more. Add the salt and vanilla, beating after each addition. Add the
eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the
sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add the heavy cream, beat until
incorporated. Remember to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl, and
scrape up any thicker bits of cream cheese that have stuck to the bottom
of the mixer that paddle attachment has failed to incorporate.
5 Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large, high-sided
roasting pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour the cream cheese
filling into the springform pan, over the graham cracker bottom layer.
Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting pan with the
springform pan in it, in the oven, on the lower rack. Carefully pour the
hot water into the roasting pan (without touching the hot oven), to
create a water bath for the cheesecake, pouring until the water reaches
halfway up the side of the springform pan, about 1 1/4 inches.
(Alternatively you can add the water before putting the pan in the oven,
whichever is easier for you.) Cook at 325°F for 1 1/2 hours.
6 Turn off the heat of the oven. Crack open the oven door
1-inch, and let the cake cool in the oven, as the oven cools, for
another hour. This gentle cooling will help prevent the cheesecake
surface from cracking.
7 Cover the top of the cheesecake with foil, so that it
doesn't actually touch the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a
minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
5 Place the foil-wrapped springform pan in a large, high-sided
roasting pan. Prepare 2 quarts of boiling water. Pour the cream cheese
filling into the springform pan, over the graham cracker bottom layer.
Smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Place the roasting pan with the
springform pan in it, in the oven, on the lower rack. Carefully pour the
hot water into the roasting pan (without touching the hot oven), to
create a water bath for the cheesecake, pouring until the water reaches
halfway up the side of the springform pan, about 1 1/4 inches.
(Alternatively you can add the water before putting the pan in the oven,
whichever is easier for you.) Cook at 325°F for 1 1/2 hours.
6 Turn off the heat of the oven. Crack open the oven door
1-inch, and let the cake cool in the oven, as the oven cools, for
another hour. This gentle cooling will help prevent the cheesecake
surface from cracking.
7 Cover the top of the cheesecake with foil, so that it
doesn't actually touch the cheesecake. Chill in the refrigerator for a
minimum of 4 hours, or overnight.
Prepare sour cream topping
8 Place sour cream in a medium sized bowl, stir in the
powdered sugar and vanilla, until smooth. Chill until you are ready to
serve the cake.
Note that this recipe produces enough sour cream topping for a thick
topping and some extra to spoon over individual pieces of cheesecake, if
desired. If you would like a thinner layer of topping and no extra,
reduce the sour cream topping ingredients in half.
Prepare the raspberry sauce
9 Place raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Use
a potato masher to mash the raspberries. Heat on medium, whisking,
about 5 minutes, until the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat.
Let cool.
Prepare the cake to serve
10 Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Remove the foil from
the sides of the pan, and place the cake on your cake serving dish. Run
the side of a blunt knife between the edge of the cake and the pan.
Dorie recommends, and we've done with success, that you use a hair dryer
to heat the sides of the pan to make it easier to remove. Open the
springform latch and gently open the pan and lift up the sides. Spread
the top with the sour cream mixture. Serve plain or drizzled with
raspberry sauce.
16 servings
Adapted from http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/perfect_cheesecake/
