Decadent Creamy Cheesecake Food

MASTER RECIPE FOR RICH AND CREAMY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position, and heat oven to 325 degrees. Brush interior of a 9-inch springform pan with butter. Add crumbs of choice and tilt pan in all directions to evenly coat, or line pan sides with ladyfingers. Tear off two long strips of heavy-duty foil, overlap in a cross pattern, and set the pan in the middle. Bring up sides, crimping around exterior top of the pan and forming a tight seal. Set it in a roasting pan large enough to hold it.
• Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down bowl sides and beat again until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition to ensure a creamy batter. Slowly beat in vanilla, then cream and sour cream. (Meanwhile, bring tea kettle of water to a boil, then turn off heat.)
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Set the roasting pan on oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake until cake perimeter is set but center still jiggles, about 40 minutes (some flavor variations will take longer). Turn off heat and leave oven door ajar; let cheesecake sit in oven so the residual heat continues to cook it, about 30 minutes.
• Remove pan from water; set on a wire rack. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until well-chilled, about 3 hours (can be refrigerated up to 4 days). Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan, loosen the spring siding and serve.

DECADENT, CREAMY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: Stir cookie crumbs, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Pour in melted butter or margarine and stir until the crumbs are all moist. Press crumbs in the bottom of a spring form pan. Bake the crust at 350F for 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the pan - the larger, the less time it will need) or until the crust starts becoming golden. Cool while you prepare the cake batter.
• For the cheesecake batter: beat the cream cheese at medium speed till it is soft and creamy. It is important that the cheese has been warmed to room temperature for this step!
• Add in the sugar, and beat for another 2-4 minutes, until cheese is light (and not grainy).
• Add in the vanilla and beat until properly mixed.
• Add in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is well incorporated before adding in the next.
• Add the heavy cream, either on low speed or by hand. If you have any extra goodies to throw in (like a few tbs of jam to swirl in the batter, or extra cookie chunks), now is the time to fold those inches.
• Bake the cheesecake at 325 for 50min-1 hour and 15 min, or until it has set (besides the middle, which can still be a little jiggly). The rate at which the cake will finish depends on the size of pan you used and your oven! It is important to watch it. I have baked these in different ovens in the same sized pans and there is no consistency. When using heavy cream, I don't both with a water bath - but if you do, you will probably have to bake it a little longer. If mine cracks (not very often), I just top it with a chocolate ganache to fill in the cracks. Yum.
• When removing the cake - run a knife around the edges of the cake, to keep it from pulling away and cracking. You can also turn off the oven a little earlier and let it cool off gradually while it finishes cooking. Let the cake cool off on the counter before chilling it. Refrigerate for at least a few hours (ideally over night) before serving.