My Favorite Cheesecake Recipes

FAMILY-FAVORITE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°. , In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add egg yolks; beat on low just until combined. , In a small bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour over crust., Bake for 1 hour or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate until completely cooled. , Combine the sour cream, sugar and vanilla; fold in whipped cream. Spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan.

MY FAVORITE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, mix crumbs, butter, sugar and salt. Press to the bottom of a 9 1/2 inch spring form pan.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat cream cheese until fluffy and add eggs a little at a time. Beat in sugar and vanilla on low speed until just combined. Pour filling into crust and bake at 350 F in the middle of oven for 45 minutes. Transfer cake to pan rack and let stand for 5 minutes. Leave oven on.
• In a bowl stir together sour cream, sugar, and vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls on top of cheesecake and spread evenly. Bake an additional 10 minutes. Transfer cake to cooling rack and cool completely. Chill cake overnight covered.
• Let cheesecake stand for 30 minutes before serving with your favorite topping.

MY FAVORITE KEY LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• NOTE: A HAND-HELD MIXER WORKS BEST FOR BLENDING THE FILLING, PAUSING AT INTERVALS TO SCRAPE SIDES OF MIXING BOWL. ALLOW A MINIMUM OF 4 HOURS FOR BAKED CHEESECAKE TO REFRIGERATE AND SET BEFORE SERVING. (STEP ONE): TEMPER 32 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese (four 8 ounce bricks) until room temperature is reached (about 1 1/2 hours); GRATE the outer green peel from enough key limes to yield 1/2 teaspoon plus desired amount for final garnish, using the finest shred grate of a cheese grater to produce fine zest flakes; SQUEEZE enough key limes to yield 1 cup juice.
• PREHEAT oven to 375°F with one oven rack in center position and another in the lowest position; MELT 4 tablespoons unsalted butter in a microwaveable dish in a microwave for about 40 seconds for the CRUST; PROCESS enough Nilla Wafers cookies in a food processor to yield 2 cups crumbs; ADD 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; POUR butter mixture through processor feeder tube while running; PROCESS mixture until thoroughly mixed; RESERVE a few teaspoons of crumb mixture for garnish if desired; DUMP crumb mixture into a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan; LIGHTLY spread mixture evenly into bottom of pan to approximately 1/4 inch thickness, then partway up the sides of pan.
• BAKE the crust at 375°F on center rack for 5 minutes; REMOVE spring pan from oven and set aside; LEAVE oven on at 375°F.
• INTO a large mixer bowl add 32 ounces tempered cream cheese, 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1/4 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon fresh Key lime zest; WHIP with mixer on medium speed until blended.
• POUR in 1 cup freshly squeezed Key lime juice and 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract while mixing on lowest speed; MIX in 1 cup real sour cream; ADD 1 (5.1 ounce) package Jell-0 Vanilla Instant Pudding mix gradually while mixing on highest speed until well blended and lump-free; BEAT 4 eggs in a separate bowl, then add to mixture, beating on lowest speed until blended, without over-mixing or creating air bubbles (pause to scrape sides of bowl if necessary).
• POUR the cheesecake batter carefully into the springform pan containing crust mixture; SMOOTH mixture in swirls from edges of pan to center until level, using a flexible spatula.
• BAKE cheesecake at 375°F for 15 minutes; REDUCE oven temperature to 260 F.; CONTINUE baking cheescake for 1 hour for a 10-inch pan, or 1 hour and 7 minutes, for a 9-inch pan.
• REMOVE cheesecake carefully from oven; GENTLY run a sharp knife around edges of cheesecake in springform pan to loosen; LEAVE cheesecake in springform pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack; REFRIGERATE cheesecake in the springform pan for at least 4 hours to set; REMOVE side pan carefully.
• SPRINKLE a light border of cookie crumbs on cheesecake; TOP with a dollop of fresh whipped cream (use a pastry bag with decorator tip); GARNISH each serving with a pinch of finely grated fresh key lime zest and/or a fresh key lime twist if desired.
• SERVE and ENJOY!

MY FAVORITE VANILLA CHEESECAKE RECIPE WITH SOURCREAM TOPPING

Steps:

• CRUST:.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease a cake pan and line with parchment, I prefer using a springform pan.
• In food processor, mix cookies, brown sugar (if using) and butter. Press mixture into prepared pan in an even layer.
• Bake for about 12 minutes, until it starts to color.
• Let cool on a rack.
• CHEESECAKE:.
• Prepare pan with crust.
• Preheat oven to 325.
• In small bowl whisk together sugar and cornstarch.
• In stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed for about 1 minute. Scrap down sides and beat for another 30 seconds. Add sugar and cornstach and mix for about 1 minute. Add sour cream and mix until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down sides after each. Add vanilla, salt and lemon zest if using. Mix 30 secondes.
• Bake using water bath method: Pour cheesecake mixture over cooled crust and set in pan that has about 1/4 inch of hot water in it. This helps cheesecake to bake evenly and have a silky texture. Bake for about an hour or until just set in the middle. Remove cake from oven, run a knife around the edges to loosen. IMPORTANT: The pan needs to be wrapped in tinfoil prior to baking to insure no water leaks in, You should also loosley tent the cake with tinfoil and VENT to prevent browning. When done paking allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
• SOUR CREAM TOPPING:.
• Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spread mixture over top of freshly baked cheesecake and return to oven for 10 minutes.