Cheesecake

My birthday is soon, here's a cheesecake recipe.

New York style cheesecake

Shamelessly stolen from martha stewart dot com. Thanks Lucinda Scala Quinn for a great recipe!

Converted to markdown and posted here to preserve for my own purposes.

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 4 ounces graham crackers, broken into pieces
• ¼ teaspoon coarse salt
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

• 2 ½ pounds cream cheese (five 8-ounce packages), room temperature
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 ounces sour cream, room temperature
• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven and prepare pan:
2. Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in the lower third of the oven.
3. Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

4. Line sides of the pan with 4-inch-high strips of parchment and butter parchment.

5. Combine graham crackers and sugar for crust:

6. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers with salt and sugar to fine crumbs.

7. Add butter and pulse until fully incorporated.

8. Bake and cool crust:

9. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared springform pan and bake until the crust is golden brown and set (15 minutes).
10. Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
11. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or the flat side of a drinking glass to press the crumbs into a compact layer.

Other cookies, like chocolate disks, gingersnaps, or Biscoff wafers, can be used instead of graham crackers.

1. Mix cheesecake filling:
2. In a large stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, butter, and sour cream with sugar until light and smooth.

3. Add eggs, yolks, zest, and vanilla:

   • Beat in eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
   • Beat in remaining egg yolks, zest, and vanilla extract.

4. Line pan with foil and parchment:

5. Crisscross two long pieces of foil and place a piece of parchment on top.

6. Wrap exterior of pan in foil:

7. Place the springform in the center of the foil and wrap the foil tightly around the bottom and sides of the pan.

Lining the pan with foil helps keep water from seeping into the cheesecake, which causes the crust to become soggy.

1. Place pan in water bath; transfer to oven and bake:
2. Transfer to a roasting pan, pour filling into the springform pan, and smooth the top.
3. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan and carefully transfer to the oven.

4. Bake for 1 hour until the top of the cheesecake is golden brown, edges are set, and the center jiggles slightly.

5. Remove from water bath and foil; chill:

6. Lift cheesecake from the water bath, remove foil and parchment from outside of springform, and chill cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.

7. Slice the cheesecake and serve:

8. To serve, remove the side of the springform pan and parchment strips.
9. Cut the cheesecake with a long, thin-bladed knife.

How to Slice Cheesecake

For perfect slices every time, run a long thin-bladed knife under hot tap water, wiping it clean between cuts.