The Cheesecake Factory Original Cheesecake Recipes

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Melt the butter, covered in the microwave, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, or a saucepan. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly into the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and put in a roasting pan.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat just until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Slowly beat in the sour cream, then eggs, vanilla and both citrus zests; take care not to over whip. Pour into the cooled crust.
• Bring a medium saucepan or kettle of water to a boil. Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour in enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes---the outside of the cake will set but the center will still be loose.
• For the topping: Stir together the sour cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over the top of the cooked cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Turn the oven off, cook the cheesecake in the residual heat in the oven for about 1 hour. This gentle finish minimizes the risk of the dreaded crack in your cheesecake.
• Remove cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Bring cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water, wipe dry before slicing each piece. Serve with berries, if desired.

Steps:

• Mix melted butter with Oreo crumbs and press in the bottom of a greased 9 inch springform pan. Cover bottom and 1/2-1 inch up the sides with crumbs. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• All ingredients need to be at room temperature before beginning.
• Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.
• Keep mixer on a low setting during the mixing and beating process.
• Add sugar gradually and continue beating cream cheese until mixed through.
• Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until blended.
• Stir vanilla, salt and flour into cream cheese and egg mixture.
• Add the sour cream.
• Turn off the mixer and gently stir in the 5 coarsely chopped Oreo cookies with a spoon.
• Pour mixture into springform pan; top with the 7-9 remaining coarsely chopped cookies.
• Place pan on top rack and in the middle of a preheated oven at 325 degrees and bake for 60- 75 minutes or until it jiggles slightly in the middle when the pan is gently shaken.
• Turn off the oven, prop the door open several inches and let the cheese cake stay in the oven for one hour.
• Cool on wire rack.
• When cool, refrigerate for 24 hours.

Steps:

• Crust: Mix all nuts and vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter and press into a 9 inch buttered springform pan, trying to line the sides as much as possible about 1 1/2" up the sides of the pan, set aside.
• Cheesecake: All above ingredients should be at room temperature before your begin.
• Start by beating the cream cheese until light and fluffy.
• Keep the mixer on a low setting throughout the beating and mixing process.
• Add the sugar a little at a time and continue beating until creamy.
• Add one egg at a time and beat after each egg.
• When eggs have been mixed into the cream cheese add flour, vanilla and lemon juice, mix well.
• Add the sour cream last and beat well.
• Pour cream cheese into the spring pan.
• Place on the top rack in the middle of a 325 degrees preheated oven for one hour and 15 minutes.
• When time is up, turn oven off, prop open oven door and leave in oven for one hour.
• After one hour, remove from oven.
• Let cool enough before the cheesecake is put into the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• A cheesecake should season.
• The wait is worth it.
• The flavor ripens and becomes enriched.

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Place a large pan or oven-safe skillet (that the cheesecake pan will fit inside) filled with about 1/2-inch of water into the oven while it preheats. This will be your water bath.
• 2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon into a medium bowl. Mix in melted margarine. Press the crumb into a 9-inch springform pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with parchment paper. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb mixture flat into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side. Wrap a large piece of foil around the bottom of the pan to keep the cheesecake dry when placed in the water bath in the oven. Put the crust in your freezer until the filling is done.
• 3. Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese with the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix for a couple minutes or until the ingredients are smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then add them to the cream cheese mixture. Blend the mixture just enough to integrate the eggs. Remove the crust from the freezer and pour the filling into it.
• 4. Carefully place the cheesecake into the preheated water bath. Bake for 12 minutes at 475 degrees F, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake turns a light brown or tan color. Remove the cheesecake from the oven to cool.
• 5. When the cheesecake is cool, combine 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 teaspoons sugar. Spread the sweetened sour cream over the entire top surface of the cheesecake. Cover and chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
• To serve, slice the cheesecake into 12 equal portions. Apply a pile of canned whipped cream to the top of each slice and serve.