The King Of The Cheesecake Recipes

KING CAKE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter until well mixed and the consistency of wet sand. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan to create the crust. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil and set aside until ready to use.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and sugar and cream together. Add the whole eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the egg yolks, eggnog, vanilla and cinnamon, mixing well after each ingredient.
• Divide the mixture equally among 3 bowls and add purple food coloring to one bowl, yellow to another and green to the third. Mix the color into each bowl of batter, adding more until the desired hue is attained (traditionally the king cake has deep, rich, "royal" colors). Transfer all 3 batters into 1 bowl, and use 2 motions with a spoon to swirl the colors together. Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust.
• Place the springform pan into a deep baking dish. Add approximately 1/2 inch of water to the baking dish to create a water bath, and bake until the cake is just set, about 1 hour.
• Allow the cake to cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving. Garnish the slices with whipped cream and festive chocolate curls.

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.