The Frugal Gourmets New York Cheesecake Recipes

Steps:

• For the crust: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl until evenly moistened.
• Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake the crust until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Cool completely on a rack. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.
• For the filling: Add the cream cheese to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add the cream, beating until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the lemon zest and juice, vanilla and salt and beat just until combined, taking care not to over whip. Pour into the crust.
• Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Carefully place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come about halfway up the side of the foil-wrapped springform pan.
• Bake until the top of the cheesecake is lightly browned around the edges, but the center still jiggles slightly, about 2 hours.
• Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
• Bring the cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water and wipe dry before slicing each piece.

Steps:

• Blend the cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter, and line the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch ungreased spring form pan.
• Blend the sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a food blender for 1 minute.
• Add the cream cheese. Blend until smooth.
• Pour 2 tbsp melted butter through the top of the machine. Pour into the spring form pan.
• Bake in the lower third of a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes.
• When baking is finished, remove from oven, and turn oven onto broil. Broil the cheesecake just until the top begins to show attractive brown spots.
• Refrigerate for 4 hours, preferably overnight, before cutting and serving. This is not a low calorie version. Cut into small pieces - it is very rich. Serves 8-12.

Steps:

• The day before you plan to serve the cheesecake:
• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make and bake the cake crust as directed and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.
• 2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment if your mixer has one, beat 1 package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch together on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each.
• 3. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. The filling will look light, creamy, airy, and almost like billowy clouds. Be careful not to overmix! Gently spoon the batter over the crust.
• 4. Place the cake pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes halfway (about 1 inch) up the side of the springform. Bake until the edge is light golden brown, the top is light gold, and the center barely jiggles, about 1 1/4 hours. If the cake still feels soft around the edge, let it bake for 10 minutes more (the cooking time will be about the same for both the 8- and 9-inch cheesecakes). Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours (just walk away-don't move it). Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold before serving, preferably overnight or for at least 6 hours.
• On serving day:
• 5. Release and remove the side of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a cake plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one, rinsing the knife with warm water between slices. Refrigerate any leftover cake, tightly covered, and enjoy within 2 days, or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

Steps:

• Mix well the crust ingredients, and spread in bottom of a spring form pan. With a mixer, mix the eggs, sour cream and vanilla.
• Blend 1 minute.
• Add the cream cheese, sugar, and butter. Mix well.
• Pour in pan on top of crust. Bake at 325°F for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Immediately turn off the oven and broil the top until golden brown-Watch carefully as it burns easily.
• I like to top mine with cherry or blueberry topping, such as Comstock's.

Steps:

• Crust.
• MIX crumbs, sugar, and butter; press onto bottom of 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes if using a silver springform pan. (Bake at 300 for 10 minutes if using a dark nonstick springform pan.).
• Filling.
• MIX cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Blend in sour cream. Add eggs, mixing on low speed just until well blended. Pour over crust.
• BAKE at 325 for 65 - 70 minutes or until center is almost set if using a 9-inch silver springform pan. (Bake at 300 for 65 - 70 minutes or until center is almost set if using a 9-inch dark nonstick springform pan.) Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and prep a large spring form pan as follows: Place a sheet of parchment paper over the inside bottom of the springform pan, fit the rim and lock in place. Trim excess paper from the underside of the pan. Place a large sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil on counter. Place the locked pan in center and raise up the foil to top rim. Crinkle around the outer top of rim. Using some firm butter, fill in the inside lower rim of pan, using your finger to form a smooth lining. (like caulking a bathtub). Place in freezer while you make the batter. You can also grease the sides of the pan and cut parchment to fit around the in sides as well.
• Beat cream cheese and sugar till smooth. Add sour cream, then eggs (one at a time). Add remaining ingredients. Mix on medium speed until well incorporated (about three minutes), scraping down sides of bowl several times while mixing to prevent lumps).
• Remove the spring form pan from freezer. Place pan onto a dishcloth onto counter and pour batter into pan. (So it's not 'loud' when you temp it).
• With your palms around the outside rim of the pan, GENTLY lift (about 1") and drop down pan onto the towel. Rotate an inch or so and repeat a few times to raise and release air bubbles from batter. (this will help keep your cheesecake from cracking).
• Set the spring form pan into a water bath. (A water bath is a baking pan or heat proof container larger than your cake pan with about an inch or two of water above the bottom of the cake pan). This is for even cooking and to preserve moisture).
• Bake at 375°F for 30 minutes. WITHOUT opening oven door, reduce temperature to 250°F and continue to bake for an additional two hours or until center of cake registers 150F with a digital thermometer.
• Remove from oven, water bath, and outer foil. DO NOT unlock the spring form pan! Place on cooling rack for 60 minutes.
• Loosen cake from sides by going between the cake and the pan with the edge of a knife (if you didn't line the sides with parchment paper). Refrigerate for at MINIMUM of four hours but overnight is best. (NOTE: If you are using a topping, you can place it onto the cake about 2 hours after refrigerating the cake).
• Unlock and remove the side of pan. For easier slicing, use dental floss. Taut between your hands, press down over cake, then let go of one end, and slide out from side. Rotate and repeat for desired amount of slices, thick or thin is up to you!