Cheesecake
Adapted from The Cheesecake Factory
Equipment
- 1 Springform pan 9 inches
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup ground graham crackers
- 3 tbsp melted butter
Cheesecake
- 1½ lbs cream cheese
- 1⅓ cups sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 16 ounces sour cream
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Crust
- Finely chop pecans in a food processor and set aside 1 cup of chopped pecans into a mixing bowl. Finely chop graham crackers in a food processor and add 1 cup of graham crackers into the mixing bowl with the pecans. Mix the pecans and crushed crackers together.
- Pour the melted butter into the mixing bowl and blend with the pecans and crackers
- Line the bottom of a springform pan with parchment paper.
- Wrap the outside of the springform pan with foil. (see technique for: Baking a Cheesecake in a Water Bath)
- Press the pecan and cracker mixture to the bottom and sides of the springform pan. By pressing a flat-bottomed glass cup helps to keep the mixture together on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Cheesecake
- Note: all ingredients must be at room temperature before beginning.
- Pre-heat the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit and position rack in the middle of oven.
- In an upright mixer, beat the cream cheese on a low speed until it is light and fluffy.
- Slowly pour in the sugar one-third at a time to incorporate the sugar into the cream cheese, until it becomes creamy.
- Then add one egg at a time and beat after each egg until it mixes well into the cream cheese sugar mixture. Repeat this for the remaining four eggs.
- After blending the eggs well into the cream cheese, slowly add the flour, vanilla and lemon juice, incorporating all the ingredients.
- Next add the sour cream, again allowing it to blend well into the cream cheese mixture.
- Ensure that the mixer has reached all the ingredients at the bottom of the bowl but mixing it with a spatula and returning it to the mixer for a few more minutes.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture into the springform pan with the pecan-graham cracker crust.
- Place the cheesecake on the top rack in the middle of the oven for one hour and 15 minutes.
- After the baking is complete, turn off the oven and prop open the oven door leaving the cheesecake there for one hour.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool.
- Cover it with foil and then place it in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours to allow it to season. The flavors will become richly enhanced as it cools overnight.