New York Cheesecake

I want to start my semester off as President of the DTS Little Sisters right.  I also want to make cheesecake.  I figured that combining these two things couldn't be a bad idea!  So, as tomorrow is our first meeting I decided that a "sweet" way to welcome the sisters back for a new semester would be to bring a cheesecake to the meeting.

I have always wondered what made New York style cheesecake different from other cheesecakes.  After searching for a good recipe...I am still baffled.  What makes it New York?  If anyone has any idea please clue me in because according to the plethora of recipes I found, there really is no one component that makes it "New York Style."

Sorry for the ranting, this has been on my mind for a while now...

And now, the recipe! I have recently fallen in love with Joy of Baking.  It's a great site where the recipes come with videos, photos, and explanations.  Plus, you can download an application on your phone that will allow you to see recipes and save ingredients to a grocery list.  How cool is that? Technology is really blowing my mind these days.  

Please check out the site for the New York Cheesecake recipe and to get a great video of how to make it! The original recipe calls for a 9-inch springform pan.  I only have a 10-inch, but the volume is still about the same and so it is okay to use either.  You might just need to shorten the baking time a little.  This cheesecake looks absolutely amazing and ridiculously rich.  I can't wait to try it tomorrow night! 

New York Cheesecake (adapted from Joy of Baking)

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

So much cream cheese!

Filling:

32 oz Regular Cream Cheese 

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp all-purpose flour

5 eggs

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla

Topping:

1 cup regular sour cream

2 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Grease a 10-inch springform pan.  Place plan on a baking sheet.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and make sure the rack is in the center of the oven.

2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter.  Pour crust into your springform pan and press evenly over the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides.  Cover and refrigerate while making the filling.

3. Make the filling: Place the cream cheese, sugar, and flour in a large bowl.  Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Scrape down the sides.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition.  Scrape down the sides.  Add the whipping cream, lemon zest, vanilla, and beat until combined. Remove the crust from the fridge and pour the filling in.  Place the cheesecake on a baking plan and place in the oven.

4. Bake for 15 minutes.  Then, lower the oven temperature to 250 degrees and continue to bake for another 60-90 minutes.  The cheesecake is done with it looks firm, but the center looks a little wet and wobbly. When done, remove from the oven to cool.

5. While baking, make the topping: place the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Spread the topping over the warm cheesecake and then return the cake to the oven to bake for another 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and run a knife around the sides of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan.  Let the cake cool completely.  Then, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.  

Enjoy :)

mmmm...