Merediths Cheesecake Recipes

PHILADELPHIA® CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Mix crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan.
• Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
• 55 min. or until center is almost set. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.

OUR BEST CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix graham crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.
• Top with pie filling before serving.

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Put graham crackers in a large resealable plastic bag, and crush them with a rolling pin until very fine crumbs form.
• Pour crumbs into a medium bowl; stir in sugar. Add butter, and stir until well combined.
• Press the crumb mixture into a 9-inch springform pan, spreading it 1 1/2 to 2 inches up the side; press flat. Chill crust in freezer at least 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Using an electric mixer set at medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the condensed milk a little at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl, as necessary. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla.
• Pour the filling into the crust; smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
• Unclasp sides of pan, and remove cheesecake.

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
• Set a kettle of water to boil. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.
• Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight before serving.

CLASSIC NEW YORK-STYLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Assemble a 9-by-3-inch springform pan with its bottom inverted, so the raised lip faces down. Butter pan.
• In a food processor, finely grind graham crackers. Add melted butter, brown sugar, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; pulse until mixture resembles wet sand. Press evenly into bottom and halfway up sides of prepared pan. Bake until golden and set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool completely.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in lemon juice and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
• Place pan in the center of a double layer of foil. Lift edges of foil up, wrapping tightly around sides of pan and folding foil under itself as needed until flush with top of pan (this will prevent moisture from seeping in). Pour filling into pan (it should come almost to top of rim); smooth top with a small offset spatula.
• Place filled pan inside a roast- ing pan and transfer to center rack of oven. Carefully pour enough boiling water into roast- ing pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan (this is safer than pouring it in and then transferring to the oven). Bake until cake is puffed and golden brown on top and slightly wobbly in center, 1 3/4 to 2 hours (it will continue to cook as it cools).
• Carefully remove spring-form pan from roasting pan; transfer to a wire rack and let cool 20 minutes. Remove foil and run a small paring knife around sides of pan to loosen cheesecake. Let cool completely. Drape pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Unmold cake and serve.

BEST CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• Combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar for crust in a bowl until mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer to the prepared pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press crumbs firmly into an even layer.
• Bake crust in the preheated oven until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit on a wire rack until completely cool. Leave the oven on.
• While the crust is cooling, beat cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until smooth.
• Add sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and continue to beat until combined.
• Gently whisk one egg with a fork in a small bowl; add to the cream cheese mixture and beat just until combined. Repeat with each remaining egg, whisking and adding just one at a time.
• Remove the bowl from the stand mixer and firmly bang it on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles.
• Place the springform pan (with the cooled crust) in an oven bag. Fold down the excess and wrap the pan in a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Pour cheesecake mixture into the pan.
• Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan and move it to the lower rack of the oven.
• Pour 2 inches of boiling water into the roasting pan. Bake cheesecake until edges are puffed and surface is firm except for a small spot in the center that will jiggle when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 ½ hours. Tent the cheesecake with a sheet of foil if the top is browning too much during baking.
• Turn off the oven; keep the oven door closed and let the cheesecake cool slowly for 2 hours.
• Remove from the oven. Take the springform pan out of the water bath and set it on a cooling rack; let sit until it comes to room temperature, about 2 more hours. Place in the refrigerator until fully set, 8 hours to overnight.
• Run the tip of a knife around the edges of the pan. Unhinge the lock and remove the pan sides. Use a warm, clean knife to cut every slice. Top slices with cherry pie filling. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator.