Cheesecake is a dessert staple in many households, specifically a New York style cheesecake, and Suzanne’s recipe is one that you will not want to miss. The first cheesecakes she made were called company cheesecakes. They were a simple cheesecake, light and delicious, but it was not the most beautiful presentation. In the last 10 years, she has switched to a more hearty cheesecake adapted from Cook’s Illustrated. She adjusted the new recipe to be decorated with a homemade mixed berry jam. Made from her own fruiting bushes, Suzanne makes a strawberry, blackberry, and raspberry jam to adorn the cheesecakes with. The presentation holds up beautifully compared to the original cheesecake she made. For those that are chocolate lovers, she has also added a ganache topping.
Time: 120 minutes
Serves: 16
Ingredients
- 1 sleeve cinnamon graham crackers
- 6 tbsp melted butter
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 1/2 lbs. (5 packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 6 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Finely crush graham crackers sleeve.
- Mix 2 tbsp sugar and 5 1/2 tbsp butter with fork until crumbly (save remaining butter).
- Press crumbs in bottom of prepared pan, bake 13 minutes, cool on rack.
- Brush sides of springform pan with remaining melted butter after crust cools.
- Turn oven to 500°.
- In large bowl, beat cream cheese with salt for about 2 minutes, to remove lumps. Add sugar in thirds. Beat about one minute after each addition.
- Add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix well.
- Add eggs, two at a time, beating well after each addition, including two egg yolks.
- Pour into cooled crust and place onto lipped baking sheet in case of spillover.
- Bake at 500° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 200° (Do not open oven door).
- Bake 90 minutes at 200°.
- Remove from oven, cool for five minutes on wire rack.
- Run knife around edge.
- Cool 3 hours at room temperature.
- Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Best served 30 minutes out of refrigerator.
