New York style cheesecake – Thanksgiving dessert

While the Butterball may be the star of our dinner here at the mansion, nothing says Thanksgiving dessert around here more than a traditional NY style cheesecake.

Ingredients

• 5 oz finely ground Graham crackers (I buy them already ground)
• 5 TBLS. unsalted butter, melted
• 1 C sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 8 5-oz bricks of Cream Cheese
• 1 3/4 C sugar
• 3 tbls flour
• grated zest of 1 lg orange
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 5 large eggs PLUS 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Assemble

• Preheat oven to 550°F.

Base

1. Mix together – graham cracker crumbs, butter, salt and c. sugar
2. Press into a spring form pan
3. Refrigerate for 2 hours

Cheesecake

1. Beat together cream cheese, sugar, flour, and zests.
2. Add eggs and yolks, one at a time.
3. Add the vanilla extract
4. Put spring form pan with crust in a shallow dish and add boiling water to act as a water bath (this will keep the cheesecake from cracking).
5. Pour filling into crust and bake in the water bath in the middle of oven for 12 minutes.
6. Reduce the temperature to 200°F and continue baking until cake is mostly firm but still wet and wobbly in the center.
7. Cook for approx. 1 hour
8. Cool in the oven and then overnight in the refrigerator.
9. Bring to room temperature before serving and garnish with strawberries, raspberries, caramel syrup, or whatever you like.

Photo courtesy of Bloggyboulga.