Must...make...cheesecake....
I don't eat cheesecake often, mostly because once I start, it's really hard to resist. Kevin can't eat it, and John doesn't really like it, so I hesitate to make a giant cheesecake just for myself. This is why I don't have my own photo. This is a fantastic recipe that I make for company or if I need to take a fancy dessert to an event. Top slices with chocolate sauce, fruit, and whipping cream to make it extra special.
Adapted from Today's Parent December 2006
Pre-heat oven to 350 F (180 C)
Crumb Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker or chocolate wafer crumbs
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
Stir ingredients together in a bowl and then pat into a greased 10 inch springform pan (don't go up the sides). Bake for 10 minutes and then let cool.
Filling:
3 8oz(250 g) packages of cream cheese, softened
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Beat in vanilla, then sugar. Pour over baked graham crust. Bang the pan on the counter a few times to release bubbles in the batter. Bake 45-50 minutes. The cake may be fairly moist in the middle, which is fine.
Sour Cream Topping
In a bowl stir 1 cup of sour cream, 2 tbsp of sugar and 1 tsp vanilla together. Spread over the cheesecake as soon as it comes out of the oven, and then return to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes.
Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature, and then put it in the fridge and let it chill for several hours or overnight.
Makes a luscious 10 inch cheesecake.
Photo above by Chris Birchill
