CHEESECAKE-1() - CHEESECAKE I

CHEESECAKE I - Legendary cheesecake

This is from a dessert-chef friend of a regular-chef friend, and apparently won some award. I've had cheesecakes that I think are more impressive (including one I can make), but I think I'm something of a cheescake connoisseur. If I want to blow people's socks off, this is the one I cook. I think that every time I've served it to a new group, at least one person has said ``That was the best cheesecake I've ever had.''

INGREDIENTS (one cheesecake)

CRUST:

500 g (2 cups): graham cracker crumbs
100 g (6 Tbsp): melted butter
20 g (2 Tbsp): white sugar
2.5 ml (½ tsp): ground cinnamon

CAKE FILLING:

700 g (1½ lb): cream cheese
150 g (¾ cup): sugar
(3): eggs
60 ml (¼ cup): lemon juice
10 ml (2 tsp): grated lemon rind
10 ml (2 tsp): vanilla

TOPPING:

500 ml (2 cups): sour cream
30 g (3 Tbsp): sugar
5 ml (1 tsp): vanilla

GLAZE:

100 g (½ cup): sugar
25 ml (1½ Tbsp): cornstarch
1 ml (¼ tsp): salt
170 ml (¾ cup): water
75 ml (1/3 cup): lemon juice
(1): egg yolk, WELL BEATEN.
15 g (1 Tbsp): butter

PROCEDURE

(1): Preheat oven to 175°C . Combine crust ingredients. Press crust on bottom and sides of buttered 25 cm springform pan. Bake 5 minutes, and cool.
(2): Beat cheese until soft. Add sugar and blend well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in the lemon rind and the vanilla, and add to the mixture. Pour into the pre-baked crust, and bake 35 minutes.
(3): Combine topping ingredients, spread on top of cheesecake, and return to oven immediately. Bake 10-12 minutes and remove from oven.
(4): Combine dry glaze ingredients; add liquid glaze ingredients. Cook over low heat until thick. Add 15 g of butter. Cool, and spread this glaze on the cake before the glaze thickens too much.

NOTES

Some pointers: this is the traditional crust, but I often use a more floury-baked-pie-crust-like one. It's not too critical. The magic to getting the texture perfect is in how you beat the cheese. I use a kitchen aid, work slowly, scrape the bowl often, and ALWAYS USE ROOM TEMPERATURE EVERYTHING. Using cold cream cheese guarantees lumps. Don't beat too hard before putting in the sugar, but make sure it's even and fluffy before the eggs go in. Then again, don't overbeat. It takes practice.

I've been known to make it with no sugar or vanilla in the topping, and I think it's more interesting. but the contrast between the layers may confuse those accustomed to restaurant cheesecakes.

The glaze is easy as glazes go, but treat it properly. In particular, stir constantly until it's thick, but don't stir hard or you'll break down the starch.

RATING

Difficulty: rather difficult (timing is critical.) Time: 1 hour. Precision: measure carefully.
CONTRIBUTOR
Rob Pike, research!rob
AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill, NJ