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Cheesecake

I was born and raised in Philadelphia and the surrounding area. Pretty much the only thing I miss from the east coast is the food. It’s next to impossible to find a good cheesesteak, hoagie, deli sandwich… or cheesecake on the west coast. So, about 6 years ago, I decided to search for a good recipe for cheesecake. I tried a few, but they were too creamy, or too “thin,” or too something else that just wasn’t what I remembered from New York City. I decided to take what I though were the best elements from three different cheesecake recipes I found on the Internet, and after some trail and error finally got a recipe that is wonderfully close to New York-style cheesecake. I’ve taken my springform filled with cheesecake to many picnics and parties, and each time I’d come home with an empty pan. Before my Dad died, this exact cheesecake was a big hit with his dialysis nurses when he would bake them “thank yous.” It’s just about perfect. Serve plain, with cherries, strawberries, raspberries, chocolate syrup, or any other appropriate topping.

INGREDIENTS:

GRAHAM CRACK CRUST
1 pkg. of plain graham crackers, crushed to crumbs
3 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
2 tbsp. sugar

CHEESECAKE BATTER
5 pkgs. (40 oz.) Philadelphia Cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. vanilla
3 lg. eggs
2/3 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

PREPARATION: Before you even begin, keep in mind this recipe take a while to finish… and when I say “a while,” I mean about 16 hours. The ingredients must be room temperature before you mix them. This is a thick cheesecake, and if the ingredients are cold going into the oven, the center will not be cooked fully. My trial and error has proved this fact, so take the eggs, cream cheese, and sour cream out 4 to 6 hours before mixing. Only use a 9-inch round springform pan. Non-springform pans will not work and you’ll only ruin the cake (refer to trial and error). The cooling process in the microwave oven is also critical, as the cake finishes cooking in the center as it slowly cools down. Follow these directions carefully, and you’ll have a delicious cheesecake that rivals anything you can buy in New York City. Preheat oven to 350°.

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST: Mix crumbs, 3 tbsp of butter, and 2 tbsp of sugar with a fork until all the crumbs are moist and stick together. Press crumbs into a 9″ round springform pan and bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Allow crust to cool completely before adding cheesecake batter. Do not remove crust from pan.

CHEESECAKE BATTER: In a large glass mixing bowl, mix cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, 3 tbsp of flour, and 1 tbsp of vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until blended completely. Add eggs 1 at a time on medium speed, blending completely before adding the next egg. Add in sour cream on medium speed, again blending completely. Pour over cooled graham cracker crust.

BAKING DIRECTIONS: Cover batter in springform pan with aluminim foil and bake at 350° for 80 minutes (1 hour, 20 minutes) until center is almost set. Remove the aluminum foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until cake top is golden brown. Turn off the oven, prop open the door, and let the cake cool 20 minutes in the oven. Then, carefully remove the cake from the conventional oven and place into the microwave oven to finish cooling. Do not turn on microwave oven. The microwave oven will slow the cooling process of the cake ensuring the center is completely cooked and preventing cracks in the cake (which are caused by cooling too quickly). Leave in the microwave for about 6 hours, then move the cake to the refrigerator to chill completely before serving.

Number of servings: 8 to 16, depending on wedge size.

Preparation Time: 4 hours prep, 2 hours mixing and baking, 8 to 10 hours cooling.

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