So, once again, I present to you a poached recipe with only slight modification. This recipe, for the most delectable cheesecake I've ever had the pleasure of devouring, comes from The Food Network's website.
This recipe, though, isn't for the faint of heart. This recipe requires a technique known as a bain-marie, a hot water bath [NOTE: it's a real pain in the ass]. While it isn't the simplest cooking method, the results are more than worth it. Plus, if you have and use a Kitchenaid Stand Mixer, the actual prep process for the filling and crust is a breeze. With all that said, here's the recipe...
Ingredients:
Crust:
2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 30 squares)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
1 pound cream cheese, two 8-ounce blocks, softened
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 lemon, zested
1 dash vanilla extract
FIRST: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Take graham crackers, cinnamon, and butter, and either in a large mixing bowl or in a blender or food processor, mix until combined evenly.
THEN: Using a glass with a nice, flat bottom, press the crust into your desired baking dish. I recommend a 9" round cake pan for this recipe. You may line it with parchment if you wish, but it is not necessary. As you do this, set a pot of water in a kettle to boil for the bain-marie.
THEN: While you let your perfectly pressed crust settle into the cake pan, take the cream cheese and drop it all into your stand mixer's bowl. Mix until smooth, and if you crank up the speed for this part, it's okay. Remember once we add the eggs, speed matters. Add your eggs one at a time, slowly mixing until combined.
THEN: Add the sugar, sour cream, lemon zest, and dash of vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined. Take the mixture and transfer it from mixing bowl to the cake pan. Wrap your cake pan in aluminum foil [NOTE: you may do this before if you wish]. Using a roasting pan or deep baking pan, place your cake pan wrapped in foil in the center, and then get your boiling water-filled kettle. Dump the boiling water, slowly and carefully, into the surrounding roasting pan, and transfer the whole heavy-ass load into the oven.
NOTE: This is the pain-in-the-ass part I was talking about earlier.
FINALLY: Cook for 55 minutes, and check using a toothpick. It won't come out completely clean, and the cake should still be jiggly. It should not be browned on top.
I recommend serving this dish with a berry compote, as shown. You can use a variety of fruits to make the compote, and the recipe is quite
simple. The compote recipe can be found below.
Simple Berry Compote
Ingredients:
1 cup strawberries, quartered
1 cup raspberries
1 cup of sugar
1/4-1/3 cup orange juice
FIRST: In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and cook over medium to medium-high heat. Allow to bubble and slowly cook off all orange juice, until the mixture becomes syrupy, like molasses. Lower the temperature as necessary, and remove from heat when desired texture and taste are achieved.
FINALLY: Let cool briefly, and then carefully spoon and spread over your cheesecake!
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