The Big Cheese Cake Recipes

THE BEST CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Put the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl, cover with a paper towel and melt in the microwave in 10-second increments. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the melted butter.
• Stir together the remaining butter with the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly to the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool. Place the pan on a large sheet of foil and wrap up the sides. Place in a roasting pan.
• For the cheesecake: Beat together the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined. Mix in the eggs by hand, one at a time, until just combined. (Take care not to overmix or the cheesecake will puff up and crack.) Pour the batter evenly over the crust, smoothing the top. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides of the foil-wrapped springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cake is set but the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
• Run a knife around the edge of the pan once more and unlock to unmold the cheesecake. Transfer to a serving platter or cake stand and smooth the edges with a knife.

THE BIG CHEESE CAKE

Steps:

• Cut a 6 by 4-inch rectangle from a piece of paper place on top of the cakes center.
• Insert toothpicks in cake at corners of rectangle to mark area for label set pattern aside.
• With a melon ball cutter or sharp knife, cut holes in cake in various places outside the rectangle.
• Remove toothpicks frost sides and top of cake, spreading frosting deep into the holes.
• Gently place pattern atop frosting in the center of the cake and trace around it with a toothpick.
• With blue decorator icing and writing tip, retrace lines of rectangle.
• Make a line across rectangle about 1 1/2 inches from bottom.
• With red decorator icing write message above line.
• With green gel, write message below line.