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New York Cheesecake

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Ingredients
  

CRUST

  • 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, from 12 whole crackers
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/8 tsp salt

FILLING

  • 32 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp freshly-milled soft white wheat, spelt, or einkorn
  • 4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon zest, from 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 6 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

SPECIAL TOOLS

  • 9- or 10-inch springform pan
  • 18-inch heavy-duty aluminum foil

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  • Double wrap springform pan with one large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the underside of the pan and all the way to the top; spray inside of pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • To make the crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl; stir well.
  • Press the crumbs into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan; bake for 10 minutes.
  • Set aside and set oven to 325°F.
  • To make the filling, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and flour into a mixing bowl.
  • Beat on medium speed until smooth and even (about 1 minute).
  • Add the vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt, and beat on low speed until combined.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated, scraping the bowl as necessary. Don't overmix.
  • Pour the batter on top of the crust.
  • Set the unbaked cheesecake in a large roasting pan and pour boiling water into the roasting pan to about one inch up the side of the cake pan. The water bath regulates the temperature and keeps the cheesecake baking at an even, low heat. The steam/humidity created by the water bath also protects the cheesecake from drying out and cracking.
  • Bake until the cake is just set, about 90-100 minutes. The cake should not look like liquid, but slightly wobble when bumped. It will continue to cook as it cools.
  • Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool the cheesecake in the water bath until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes.
  • Remove the springform pan from the water bath, discard the foil, and transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator to cool for at least 8 hours or overnight.
  • Remove the sides of the springform pan. You can serve the cheesecake right from the base of the springform pan. Or, if you’d like to transfer it to a serving platter, run a long, thin spatula between the crust and the pan bottom, and then use two large spatulas to transfer the cheesecake to a serving dish. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between slices.
  • Enjoy plain or with your favorite berry topping!

Notes

This is a modified version of the recipe from Once Upon a Chef - find her recipe here: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/new-york-style-cheesecake.html
This is a THICK cheesecake. Definitely watch it. First time I made it, I under cooked it just a bit so the center wasn't quite done. Still delicious. Generally in my oven, I can pull baked goods out a lot sooner than the recipe calls for. Not this one.
Spring form pans really do leak like crazy. She is 100% correct about the tin foil. First time I made this, I only had regular 12in tin foil on hand and even though I double wrapped it, it still leaked into the cheesecake. Definitely use the heavy-duty 18in tin foil to wrap your spring form pans!
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