Cakey Cheesecake Recipes

Steps:

• To make the crust: Butter a 9-inch springform pan - choose one that has sides that are 2 3/4 inches high (if the sides are lower, you will have cheesecake batter left over) - and wrap the bottom of the pan in a double layer of aluminum foil.
• Stir the crumbs, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir until all of the dry ingredients are uniformly moist. (I do this with my fingers.) Turn the ingredients into the springform pan and use your fingers to pat an even layer of crumbs along the bottom of the pan and about halfway up the sides. Don't worry if the sides are not perfectly even or if the crumbs reach above or below the midway point on the sides. Put the pan in the freezer while you preheat the over. (The crust can be covered and frozen for up to 2 months.)
• Center a rack in the over, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the springform on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Set the crust aside to cool on a rack while you make the cheesecake.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• To make the cheesecake: Put a kettle of water on to boil.
• Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until it is soft and creamy, about 4 minutes. With the mixer running, add the sugar and salt and continue to beat for another 4 minutes or so, until the cream cheese is light. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs, one by one, beating for 1 full minute after each addition - you want a well-aerated batter. Reduce the mixer speed to low and stir in the sour cream and/or heavy cream.
• Put the foil-wrapped springform pan in a roasting pan that is large enough to hold the pan with some space around it.
• Give the batter a few stirs with a rubber spatula, just to make sure that nothing has been left unmixed at the bottom of the bowl, and scrape the batter into the springform pan. The batter will reach the rim of the pan. (If you have a pan with lower sides and have leftover batter, you can bake the batter in a buttered ramekin or small soufflé mold.) Put the roasting pan in the oven and pour enough boiling water into the roaster to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake the cheesecake for 1 hour 30 minutes, at which point the top will be browned (and perhaps cracked) and may have risen just a little above the rim of the pan. Turn off the oven's heat and prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon. Allow the cheesecake to luxuriate in its water bath for another hour.
• After 1 hour, carefully pull the setup out of the oven, lift the springform pan out of the roaster - be careful, there may be some hot water in the aluminum foil - and remove the foil. Let the cheesecake come to room temperature on a cooling rack.
• When the cake is cool, cover the top lightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, although overnight is better.
• At serving time, remove the sides of the springform pan - you can use a hairdryer to do this - and set the cake on a serving platter.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix graham crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.
• Top with pie filling before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Grease a 10-inch (25 cm) springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the inside edges of the pan with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a food processor, combine the graham crackers, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the melted butter. Pulse to combine until the texture is similar to wet sand.
• Press the graham cracker crumbs into the prepared pan, using a measuring cup to compact in even layer.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.
• Once cool, line the sides of the springform pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, remaining 2 cups (400 G) of sugar, and the salt. Using an electric hand mixer, blend until well-combined and fluffy.
• Add the heavy cream and beat to incorporate.
• Add the sour cream, flour, salt, and vanilla bean seeds, and beat to combine.
• Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix until fully combined, making sure not to over-beat. The mixture should be smooth and creamy.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture into the cooled crust.
• Wrap the outside of the springform pan tightly with foil and place the pan in a large baking dish. Fill the dish with 1 inch (2 cm) of boiling water.
• Gently transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for 1 hour.
• Without opening the oven door, turn off the heat and let the cheesecake rest for 1 hour.
• Remove the springform pan from the baking dish and unwrap the foil. Run a paring knife gently around the outside of the cheesecake to loosen it from the sides of the pan.
• Cover the pan with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator overnight.
• Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and release the springform pan. Remove the parchment paper lining.
• Top with fresh berries, if desired.
• Dip a knife into hot water for clean slices, then slice and serve.
• Enjoy!