A cheesecake is one of those desserts everyone should learn to master. It’s a surefire hit with nearly any crowd, and can be dressed up with berries, chocolate, caramel, powdered sugar or whatever else the occasion may call for. This is a recipe my mom loves to make. She starts with Martha Stewart’s recipe for a delicious, from-scratch New York cheesecake, and personalized it with a few special tweaks.
Classic New York Cheesecake
INGREDIENTS
For Crust
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
2 cups oatmeal
sugar to taste
For Filling
2 1/2 pounds bar cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
Set a kettle of water to boil. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.
Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight before serving.
