In the comments to the cake post I promised to post my cheesecake recipe. I don’t have any pics of one of my cheesecakes to post. Anyhow, the base recipe is below. Before we get to it, just an item or two:
- since this is the base recipe for a plain cheesecake, if you want to change it up, just make this recipe and then add to it whatever you want. For instance, if you want a chocolate swirl cheesecake, then make the ganache recipe from last week and swirl it in before baking. If you want a strawberry cheesecake then either add your preferred strawberry preserve, incorporate it thoroughly, and then bake. For chocolate dipped strawberry cheesecake – add the preserves, bake, and once its cool poor the chocolate ganache over it. You get the idea.
- For a savory cheesecake base just follow this recipe bet do two things: a) leave out the sugar and b) replace the ground graham cracker crust with a ground sourdough bread crust. Then just add your savory ingredients and bake.
Plain (base) Cheesecake Recipe:
3 8 ounce blocks of cream cheese
8 ounces of sour cream
3 eggs
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of crushed graham crackers
1 tablespoon of melted butter
Preheat oven to 350. Melt the butter and then combine with the crushed graham cracker crumbs to make the base. Cover the bottom of a nonstick cooking sprayed 10 inch spring form pan and pat down until the base of the pan is evenly covered with the graham cracker crust. Place the pan with crust inside into the freezer.
In your stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl for use with a hand mixer) add one 8 ounce block of cream cheese and whip until smooth. Then add one egg and whip until it is incorporated. Repeat with the remaining two blocks of cream cheese and two eggs. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and sugar and mix until incorporated. Pour into the chilled crust. Bake at 350 for one hour. At the one hour mark turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit in the cooling over for one hour. After the cheesecake has cooled in the oven for one hour, remove and let cool on the countertop for one hour. Then refrigerate until chilled.
Bon appetit!