My Favorite Cheesecake Recipe

Almost the Plaza Cheesecake

Crust

4 Cups graham cracker crumbs

½ cup granulated sugar

pinch of salt

1 cup sweet unsalted butter, melted and warm

Filling

3 pounds (6 8-oz packages) Philly Cream Cheese softened (any cream cheese is fine, and for a low fat version, use the Neufectel cheese)

1 ¾ cups of granulated sugar

1 pint sour cream (16 ozs)

7 whole eggs

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1/8 cup vanilla extract

Topping

use any fresh fruit, prepared fruit topping (like pie filling), whipped cream, or dessert sauces.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Farenheit

2. Butter and flour two 9-inch springform pans

3. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, ½ cup sugar, and salt.

4. Add melted butter and combine. Arrange crumb mixture evenly and to a thickness of about ¼ inch in the bottom of the 2 pans.

5. In very large bowl, beat softened cream cheese with sugar, until smooth and fluffy – scrape bowl and beaters to ensure thorough mixture.

6. Add sour cream, mixing until smooth.

7. Add eggs one at a time on low speed. Scrape bowl and beaters between additions.

8. Add cream and vanilla, beating on low speed until smooth.

9. Pour cream cheese mixture into 2 pans.

10. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until knife blade inserted 2 inches off center is clean when removed.

11. Remove pans from oven and allow to cool thoroughly for 5-6 hours (or preferrably overnight) in refrigerator.

** to help keep the cheesecake from cracking, place a pan of water on the rack below cheesecakes while baking. When the cakes are done cooking, open oven and leave door open allowing them to cool slowly, then put them on the stove/counter top to cool completely before placing in refrigerator. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cheesecake, before allowing to cool on countertop.

**you can replace the sugar with splenda baking mixture for a lower calorie cheesecake.

** if you want a variation, replace graham cracker crumbs with crushed chocolate cookie crumbs (like crushing up the cookie part of an oreo), you might be able to buy pre-made Oreo crumbs at the grocery store.