Description:

This is an original baked cheesecake

Source:

Tom King

Serves/Makes:18

Ingredients

• Bottom Crust:
• 3/4 Cup (175 ml) graham cracker crumbs
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml). sugar
• 1/2 Tsp (2 ml). cinnamon
• 6 Tbsp (90 ml). unsalted butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml). softened unsalted butter
• Filling:
• 3 Packages cream cheese (8 oz (224 grm).), softened
• 1-1/4 Cups (300 ml) sugar
• 6 Eggs, separated (6 egg yolks, 6 egg whites)
• 1 Pint (16 oz (448 grm).) sour cream
• 3 Tbsp (45 ml). all-purpose flour
• 2 Tsp (10 ml). vanilla
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml). lemon juice

Preparation

• Crust:
• With pastry brush, heavily butter a 9 inch by 3 inch deep springform pan with the 2 tbsp (30 ml). softened butter.
• In mixing bowl, combine crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and stir in the melted butter until mixture is well saturated.
• With your fingers, pat an even layer of the crumb mixture onto the bottom (and sides, if you like) of the pan.
• Refrigerate while you prepare filling.
• FILLING:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 C.).
• Cream softened cheese until it is smooth, then gradually beat in the sugar.
• Beat in the egg yolks one at a time and continue to beat until ingredients are well combined.
• Stir in the sour cream, flour, vanilla and lemon juice.
• In separate bowl, beat the egg whites until they are stiff and form unwavering peaks on the beater when it is lifted out of the bowl.
• With a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites gently but thoroughly into the cream cheese mixture until no streaks of white show, but be careful not to overfold.
• Pour filling into pan & spread it out evenly with a rubber spatula.
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour.
• Turn oven off and, with the door open, let the cake rest on the oven shelf for 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
• Before serving, remove sides of pan.

Comments

You have to at least have the bottom crust to get the cake out of the pan. This does not have a pastry crust or a full graham cracker crust however as the refrigerated varieties have. I have made this cake many times without putting the Graham cracker crumbs on the sides of the pan, and prefer it that way. Just run a small knife around the sides of the pan before you remove the sides if you opt not to put the crumbs on the sides. The cake resembles a souffle in that it puffs up during baking due to the egg whites. The 15 minutes in the oven allows the cake to settle before you move it. The top will always be craked from the expansion/contraction during the rising and falling process. You can use Blueberry Pie Filling (or strawberry, or cherry) to spoon on top with outstanding results.