A Proper Chubby Girl Accessory: A Cheesecake Recipe

In keeping with our cheesecake theme this week (can anyone spell P-M-S?), we bring you a tried and true recipe for Cheesecake. I like this recipe because it doesn't have a graham cracker crust. I abhor the graham cracker crust, but I'm special that way.

But first, some tips:
1. Cheesecakes are baked at low temperatures to prevent excess shrinkage (insert George joke here). The center may look slightly soft but will set while chilling. Refrigerate cheesecakes at least three hours before serving.
2. To check for doneness, do not insert a knife in the center, because the hole could cause the cheesecake to crack. Momma Snider says, "The way to tell if it's done, usually, is to shake it, and if it no longer jiggles, it's done. (My thighs, by that standard, aren't done.)"
3. Cheesecakes cut easily when a wet knife is used, cleaning after each cut. Or use a piece of dental floss. But not the mint kind.

I Make No Claims that My Recipe Is Better Than Yours Because I'm More Than Willing To Try Them Both To Decide Cheesecake

Crust (I usually double this to make sure I have a thick crust):
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 large egg yolk

Move oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 425º. Lightly grease spring form pan (9x3 inches); remove bottom. Mix all ingredients with hands. Press one-third of the mixture evenly on the bottom of the pan. Place on cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool. Assemble bottom and side of pan; secure side. Press remaining mixture all the way up side of pan.

Stuff that goes in the crust:
5 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
1/4 heavy whipping cream

Heat oven to 425º. Combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, lemon peel and salt until smooth. Beat in eggs, egg yolks and 1/4 whipping cream, beating on low speed until well blended. Pour into baked crust. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300º. Bake about 45 minutes longer or until center is set (see above tips). Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven for 15 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 15 minutes. Run metal spatula along the side of the cheesecake to loosen (this keeps the filling from pulling away from the crust). Refrigerate uncovered about 3 hours (or until chilled. The reason for this is so that condensation doesn't collect on the cover and drip all over your beautiful dessert); cover and continue refrigerating at least 9 hours but no longer than 48 hours.

Makes 16 servings. Dude, you don't even want to know how many calories are in a serving.

*Note for KareNin: I've never made this in a pie plate, but I'm sure it can be done. I'd prebake the crust all at once. Also, it will probably make enough to fill two pie plates. The big ones.

Comments

[brian w]

Good cheesecake tips: Wrap the outside of the springform in two layers of foil and put it inside a big roasting pan. Pour hot water into the pan until it comes up about halfway up the springform. That'll keep the top from cracking and the edges from drying out.

(p.s. I can't believe you abhor the graham cracker crust. I'm so disappointed. I have a whole BOOK of no-bake pies with dozens of graham cracker crust variations. Mmmm.)