My Cheesecake Recipe

I missed the last recipe fest, so I decided I better get off my lazy butt and post one. I have made this cheesecake probably 30 times in the last 5 years. It always turns out and it is wonderful. Your family won't believe you made it.

The Queen's Cheesecake
5 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 lemon, zested; carefully avoiding the pith. The pith is the white, bitter part.
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 graham-cracker crust - recipe below

Preheat oven to 550 degrees F.
Beat together cream cheese, sugar, flour, and zests with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time, then vanilla, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions.

Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan. Pour filling into crust (springform pan will be completely full) and bake in a baking pan (to catch drips) in middle of oven 12-15 minutes, or until puffed. Oven temps vary so keep an eye on it. Don't reduce temp if it hasn't puffed up a little.

Reduce temperature to 200 degrees F and continue baking until cake is mostly firm (center will stay slightly wobbly when pan in gently shaken), about 1 hour 45 minutes more.

Run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen and cool completely in springform pan on a rack. Chill cake, loosely covered, at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan and transfer cake to a plate. Bring to room temperature before serving. Cheesecake keeps, covered and chilled, 2 weeks.

Graham-cracker Crust:
1 1/2 cups (5 ounces) finely ground graham crackers
5-6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt

Stir together crust ingredients and press into bottom and 1-inch up side of a buttered 24-centimeter springform pan. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.

This cheesecake will really puff up when it is cooking, up to 3 inches over pan. That is normal. Don't panick if it cracks a little. After it cools it will settle down and really look awesome.

Posted by rosemary at August 25, 2004 10:24 PM | TrackBack