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Wednesday, December 01, 2004

Classic NY Cheesecake

This is the classic version of a New York cheesecake, from the Better Homes New Cookbook. I've been making it for years, and it always comes out perfect.

En Español

Ingredients:

3/4 cup flour
3 tblsp sugar
1 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
6 tblsp butter
1 slightly beaten egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 8-oz packages Philadelphia cream cheese, softened (normal or no fat), equals 600g
1 cup sugar
2 tblsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup milk
Topping (Cherry, blackberry or raspberry sauce)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 C)

To prepare crust, combine the 3/4 cup flour, 3 tblsp sugar and 1/2 tsp of lemon peel. Cut in butter til crumbly. Stir in 1 slightly beaten egg yolk and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, until it forms a non sticky ball. Pat the dough into a nonstick 8 or 9 inch pan (springform if possible) on the bottom only, separating the bottom first. Bake the bottom in a 400F oven for 7 minutes or til golden, remove and let cool. Add sides and cover with remaining dough. Leave oven on, preheat to 450F (235C).

For the Filling, in a large mixer bowl beat together the softened cream cheese, remaining lemon peel, and remaining vanilla til fluffy. Stir together the 1 cup sugar, 2 tblsp flour and salt, gradually stir into cream cheese mixture. Add the 2 eggs and 1 yolk all at once, beating at low speed til just combined. Stir in milk. Turn into crust lined pan. Bake in 450F oven for 10 min . Reduce heat to 300F (150C), bake 50 to 55 minutes more or til center is set and a knife comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes.

Loosen sides of cheesecake from pan with knife or spatula. Cool 30 minutes more, remove sides of pan. Cool 2 hours longer, top and chill thoroughly. Serves 12.

For the topping, combine in a saucepan 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tblsp cornstarch (optional, makes it thicker), and dash salt. Stir in 1/3 cup water. Stir in 4 cups fresh or thawed frozen fruit of choice -- cherry, blackberry, raspberry. Cook and stir til reduced, thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes more. Cover; chill without stirring. When cheesecake is ready to be chilled, cover top and sides.

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