New York Cheesecake Recipe

How to make it

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• Crust
• Preheat oven to 325º.
• Process crumbs and sugar until finely ground in a food processor. Add flour and salt. Pulse to combine about 2 pulses. Add melted butter and pulse 10 times. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform pan.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and press with a flat. Bottomed utensil (like a glass or ramekin).
• Bake in preheated oven for 14 minutes.
• Take carefully out of the oven and cool thoroughly.
• Cheesecake
• Preheat oven to 325º.
• If the cream cheese requires softening: place in a ceramic or glass mixing bowl and microwave for a few seconds checking carefully until soft.
• You may at this point, use a hand mixer or transfer to a Cuisenart or stand mixer and beat on slow speed until smooth without lumps about 5 minutes. Slow speed ensures that there are no bubbles in the mixture.
• Combine the sugar and the flour in a small bowl and mix well.
• Add to the cream cheese in the larger bowl and mix, scrapping down the sides frequently.
• Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until fully incorporated, again scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Finally, add the vanilla and then the cream beating, still on slow until just combined. (remember,,,no bubbles)
• Pour the mixture into the cooled spring form pan crust. Tap the filled pan several times on a solid surface and let stand for 10 - 15 minutes to allow any bubbles to rise to the surface.
• Fill to ¼ inch from top of spring form pan and bake for 80 minutes.
• Inside will still jiggle. Do not over bake. This is the tough part because it doesn't look done..but it really is and will firm up when refrigerated.
• Remove from the oven and place entire pan on a rack.
• After it is somewhat cooled run a knife around the sides of the pan and carefully release the spring.
• Cool for about 1 hour and then refrigerate overnight. At this point, you may freeze your cheesecake for a later party.
• To present, you should be easily able to loosen the cake from the bottom of the cake form by slipping a knife around the bottom to loosen and then transfer to a plate. At this point, if there were cracks in the cake they should have melded back together. Serve plain or drizzle caramel, or pureed fruit over the top or serve plain. Enjoy!
• Let me know if you don't find this the easiest real cheesecake ever :-)!