Cheesecake - Rich And Creamy

When I first started making cheesecakes, I started with a basic recipe and then experimented with different ingredients, amounts, and techniques. You can do the same until you arrive at the perfect combination to suit your tastes. You will need either a spring form pan or my preference, a removable bottom cheesecake pan.

Graham Cracker Crust

1¼C Graham Cracker Crumbs

2T     Sugar

3T     Butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine Graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Mix in butter thoroughly. Press mixture into the bottom of your 9" cheesecake pan and press some crust up the sides an inch or two. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool while mixing filling.

Reduce oven temperature to 300°.

Filling

1lb. Cream Cheese, softened

1C  Sugar

8oz Sour Cream

2t    Grated Lemon Peel

¼t   Vanilla

3     Eggs

In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, gradually adding sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add lemon peel and vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the mixer several times. Pour into pie shell.

Standard cooking instructions would say to bake for one hour. I use a different technique that is easy and works quite well. By the way, you can use the water bath method if you like, but I do not go to that extra trouble. I simply bake the cheesecake for 45 - 50 minutes and remove from the oven. Take a sharp knife and run it around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake from the sides. As the cheesecake cooks and dries, it shrinks slightly and will crack in the center. By loosening the edges of the cake, you allow the cake to draw up toward the center without cracking.

Put the cheesecake back into the oven immediately and turn it off. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven as it cools and the cake finishes cooking. This will give you a rich, cheesy, creamy cheesecake. You can top it with your favorite pie filling or leave it plain. Maybe just sugar some raspberries ahead of time and spoon some berries and syrup over the slices at your guests' preference.