New York Cheesecake....

Remember a million years ago when you ordered New York cheesecake at a restaurant and it came dry, yet moist and tall and cheesy and so lemony and good? Where did that go? We used to get great cheesecake at the airport...go figure, a bunch of teenagers going into the airport for cheesecake...back then we used the airport as our playground...that was before security...The question was asked last night, where the heck did great cheesecake go? and after much research, we came up with this easy and great (and time consuming, but not hard) recipe....It is perfect in every way.....

New York Cheesecake...

Crust
8 whole graham crackers broken into pieces
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons of sugar

Filling
2 1/2 pounds of cream cheese, cut into chunks and softened
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup of sour cream
2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
6 large eggs

1. FOR THE CRUST: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 325. Process the graham cracker pieces in a food processor to fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle the melted butter and sugar over the crumbs and pulse to incorporate. Sprinkle the mixture into a 9 inch springform pan. Press the crumbs firmly into an even layer using the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake the crust until fragrant and beginning to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let the crust cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes....

2. FOR THE FILLING: Meanwhile, increase the oven temp. to 500 degrees. Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters....

3. Beat in half of the sugar and salt until incorporated, 1-3 minutes. Beat in the remaining sugar again another 1-3 minutes. Beat in the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla until incorporated. 1-3 minutes...beat in the egg yolks, and eggs, two at a time, until combined 1-3 minutes.

4. Being careful not to disturb the crust, brush the sides of the springform pan with some melted butter. Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Carefully pour the filling into the pan. Bake the cheesecake for 10 minutes.

5. Without opening the oven door, reduce the heat to 200 degrees and bake cheese cake a total of 1 1/2 hours...turning half way through....

6, Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 2-3 hours. here is a tip, run a knife every so often around the perimeter of the pan. The cheese cake will not stick to the side and maybe not crack the top of the cake....

It is a good idea to clean the knife between slicing, so you have nice perfect restaurant style slices....
this is great with fresh strawberries, raspberries, peaches, blueberries or chocolate...you choose... I like nothing on top, I like to taste all the cream cheese taste....

Just a few ingredients.......

I just added this shot because I loved it so....doesn't it look happy?

crust ready to go in the oven....

6 eggs plus 2 egg yolks.....

looks creamy.....

putting in the vanilla....now here is a hint for you, if anyone you know is going to Mexico and they say, would you like anything? say yes, vanilla. It is only about .79cents and is the best vanilla you can buy...if you can find it here it would be $10.....

crust out of the oven.....

doesn't that look silky?

do not scrape the bowl, just in case you have something lumpy on the sides...it will make lumpy cheesecake....

ready for the oven.....

ready to turn half way through....

anticipation is almost to much.....

so there is a crater, so what? no one will know....

I like mine plain...really, really plain.....

but most people like a sauce, like this blueberry sauce...oh yum!!!!!

Cheers to Happy  !!