New York Cheesecake

I actually made this cheesecake some time ago. It is one of the best I have ever made. Cheesecake is one of those great foods that tastes better and better as it ages.

This is a "New York" cheesecake because it is made with cream cheese and is taller than most (4 packages of cream cheese as opposed to 3 in other recipes).

I made 1 and 1/2 times the crust recipe because the crust is one of my favorite parts of cheesecake and there never seems to be enough to truly coat the bottom and sides. I might have actually made a little too much though because some pieces had a fairly thick corner crust.

Ingredients:
Crust:
2 C of Graham Cracker Crumbs (ground up in food processor)
1/4 C sugar
1/2 C unsalted butter, melted (I honestly can't remember if I actually used this much. Use enough to get the proper consistency)

Filling:
4 8 oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature (use full fat, does not turn out well with fat free)
1 C sugar
3 Tbs flour
5 eggs, room temp
1/3 C heavy whipping cream
1 Tbs lemon zest (do not leave this out, it adds the most beautiful hint of lemon taste to the final product)
1 tsp vanilla

Topping:
1 C sour cream (recipe I used said full fat, not sure if that is important)
2 Tbs sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Grease 9 inch spring-form pan (I have made cheesecake in a 9 inch cake pan before but it overflowed so make sure you dish is big enough). Place pan on baking sheet to catch any leaks. Preheat oven to 350.

Combine the crust ingredients and press on bottom and sides of spring-form pan. Place in fridge to harden while you prepare the filling.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, and flour on medium speed until smooth (about 2 minutes). Make sure you scrape the bowl so no pieces go unmixed. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Add the whipping cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Again, make sure the sides of the bowl are scraped and everything is incorporated together.

Take the crust out of the fridge and pour in the filling. Place the spring-form pan on a baking sheet and into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees then turn the heat down to 250 and bake for another 1 1/2 hours. The cake should be firm around the edges but still a bit wobbly in the center. Avoid over baking. Remove from oven and set on rack to cool.

You want to put the topping on a warm cheesecake so immediately prepare. Mix the topping ingredients and spread over the warm cheesecake. Return to the oven to bake for 15 minutes.

When you remove the cheesecake from the oven, run a knife around the rim to loosen the cake from the sides. This will prevent cracking as the cake cools. Wait until it has cooled completely to cover and store in the fridge. Refrigerate at least a day. I am not kidding when I say it tastes much better after a day or two in the fridge. This lets the flavors settle.

This cheesecake is so rich that you will easily get 16 slices so invite some friends over to share the goodness!

The cheesecake can also be frozen for several months is wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in a freezerbag. Thaw in fridge overnight.