Not-So-Basic Cheesecake
This cheese cake recipe is more than a trendy treat, it’s an easy to master morsel that will stand the test of time. Serve it original, or with your choice of topping like caramel, fruit sauce, or even a chocolate amaretto syrup.
This is the perfect dessert to follow any homemade meal.
Crust Ingredients
1 package of graham crackers
1 1/2 tbsps sugar
8 tbsps melted unsalted butter (or 1 stick of unsalted butter)
a small splash of vanilla extract
Cheese Cake Ingredients
36 oz Cream Cheese (4.5 8 oz packages)
1 1/4 cup sugar
6 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Crush 1 package of graham crackers, so that there are no longer any large pieces. The texture should resemble very coarse sand with very small pebbles.
Combine the crushed graham crackers, 1 1/2 tbsps sugar, splash of vanilla extract, and 8 tbsps of melted butter in a medium sized mixing bowl (reduce butter slightly for a more crumbly crust).
Once the crushed graham crackers are moistened with melted butter, pour mixture into a lightly greased springform pan. For best results, use a 9 inch round springform.
Spread the mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan. Compact the mixture along the bottom of the pan or up around the sides to create a crust that encompasses the entire cake (if you use this method, double or even triple the crust recipe depending on desired thickness and height). Use the back of a spoon or bottom of a cup to help compact the mixture along the bottom and sides of the pan.
Blind-bake the crust in the pre-heated oven for approximately 8 minutes. Then, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Begin pre-heating your oven to 450 degrees.
Combine 36 oz cream cheese and 1 1/4 cup sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Cream together until the mixture is completely smooth.
Slowly, one at a time, add 6 eggs into the bowl of the stand mixer. Allow for each egg to incorporate before adding the next egg. Ensure that your mixture remains smooth.
Mix in the 1/4 cup sour cream and the 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste.
Make a bain-marie, or water bath, by gently covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan in tin foil so that water can not seep into the pan and ruin the crust (keep the tin foil below, or away from the top of the pan).
Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan, leaving just a little bit of room at the top.
Place the wrapped springform in a roasting pan and then fill the roasting pan with nearly boiling hot water. Let the water come up the springform pan a couple of inches. This helps the cheesecake bake evenly and reduces the risk of cracking.
Carefully place the roasting pan in a 450 degree oven and allow to bake for approximately 15 minutes. Keeping the oven door closed, reduce the temperature to 225 degrees and finish baking for another hour and 15 minutes. Once at the hour mark, check the cheesecake to ensure that it does not burn. Times may vary depending on the oven, so add or subtract time as needed.
The cheesecake is finished baking when it is slightly wobbly in the center. Remove it completely from the oven and cool in the roasting pan for approximately 45 minutes.
Transfer the springform pan to a cooling rack and cool completely before wrapping in cling film or plastic wrap and letting sit in the refrigerator for at least several hours or until the cheesecake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan.
Carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan and place on a serving plate. Cut slices with a warm sharp knife to the desired size and serve chilled original or with the sauce or syrup of your choice.
Enjoy, because this is a dessert you need in your life.
Tips
Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl often to reduce the change of clumps.
Vanilla bean paste can be substituted with vanilla extract, although, it’s not advised.
Make this recipe the day before you serve it and let the cheesecake cool in the refrigerator overnight for a best-case-scenario. This also reduces the stress of putting together a meal that your family, friends, or guests need in their lives.
Allow the cheesecake to cool and set properly to ensure that each slice holds it shape. Get clean cuts on every piece by rinsing your sharp chef’s knife in hot water between each cut (also making sure to wipe off the residue from the cut before).
Top with home-made or store-bought chocolate, caramel, cherry, or chocolate amaretto sauce. This base cheesecake is versatile and goes well with almost any sweet or tart topping.