Classic New York Cheesecake

Classic New York Cheesecake

This recipe uses a lot of cream cheese, which we found to be ideal for a rich creamy texture. (It is the main cost of the cheesecake so we buy it in bulk at Sam's Club, I'm sure a similar store will still save you money)

Crust

2 sleeves of oreos (double stuff)

(If you don't have double-stuffed then add 2 Tb of softened butter)

Cake

(All ingredients should be at room temperature…This is so when you mix them some amount of air will be incorporated into the cheese and sugar mixture before adding the eggs. The eggs should also be at room temp or they will not mix well

5 8-oz packages of cream cheese

2 cups of sugar

3 Tb of flour

1 Tb of Lemon Juice

½ tsp salt

½ tsp vanilla

5 large eggs

2 egg yolks

¼ cup of sour cream

Topping

1 and ½ cups sour cream

½ cup sugar

½ tsp vanilla

Pinch salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Blend Oreos (and butter if not using double-stuff) in food processor until you get fine crumbs. Press all but ½ cup into the bottom of a 10 and ½ inch springform pan. Bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Press the remaining crumbs to the sides of the pan.

3. Increase oven temp to 475 F

4. Beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add the flour, lemon juice, salt, and vanilla. Mix for 1-2 minutes scrapping the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.

5. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time while mixing and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl so that you can keep a well mixed and not lumpy mixture. Then add the sour cream and mix well.

6. Scrape into the pan and bake at 475 F for 10 minutes and then decrease the oven temp to 225 and bake 50-65 minutes more until just the center jiggles when shaken slightly. (Just the center means that if the whole cake jiggles it is not done…it should jiggle slightly in the middle 3 inches or so.)

7. Remove from oven and set in a draft-free location. Increase the oven temperature back to 450 F.

8. Mix all of the topping ingredients together and spread on cheesecake that has cooled for at least 30 minutes (not more than an hour and a half) then bake with the topping for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in draft-free location for 2 hours and then cool in fridge for 3-4 hours before serving. (We find it best to make it the day before and cool in fridge for a couple of hours before wrapping in plastic wrap and letting it finish cooling overnight.)

9. Top with melted seedless raspberry jam or fresh berries or chocolate sauce.