Beverly Hills Cheesecake Recipes

Steps:

• Place oven rack in centre of oven, heat to 350 degrees.
• Coat bottom and sides of 9 inch springform pan evenly with butter, reserve.
• Cut cream cheese into 1 inch cubes, place in large mixer bowl.
• Beat at medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until completely smooth.
• Beat in lemon rind and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla.
• Continue beating at medium speed while very slowly adding 1/2 cup of the sugar to cheese mixture and scraping down sides of bowl as needed, beat until sugar is absorbed.
• Add eggs, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well and scraping down sides of bowl after each addition.
• Pour batter into reserved pan, spread top smooth.
• Gently rotate pan several quarter turns to settle batter.
• Bake until centre is just set, about 25 minutes.
• Transfer pan to wire rack away from drafts.
• Let cool undisturbed 30 minutes.
• Do not turn oven off.
• While cake is cooling, mix sour cream, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla in medium bowl until smooth.
• Gently spread sour cream mixture evenly over partially baked cake.
• (cake will not fill pan to the top) Rotate pan several quarter turns to settle sour cream mixture.
• Return pan to oven, bake until sour cream mixture is set, about 10 minutes.
• Turn oven off.
• Let cake stand in oven with door propped open 8 inches for 30 minutes.
• Transfer pan to wire rack away from drafts.
• Let cool undisturbed until sides and bottom of pan are completely cooled to room temperature.
• Remove sides of pan.
• Refrigerate cake uncovered 2 hours.
• Cover cake loosely with plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours.
• Garnish with grapes before serving, if desired.