Cheesecake - Junior's - From News Clip w Macaroon Crunch Topping & Sponge Layer Crust

By mariannefeldman

Friday, November 14, 2008
Eyewitness news WABC.com

Alan Rosen, co-owner of Junior's Restaurant, holds a tray of strawberry cheesecakes, NYC.
NEW YORK (WABC) --
"Junior's" cheesecake is considered to be the best cheesecake in New York. And now they are offering you and your family the exclusive recipe just in time for the holidays.




More: Entertainment news from Eyewitness News

Ingredients

• Thin Sponge Cake Layer for Cheesecake Ingredients for One 9-inch Sponge Cake Layer:
• 1/2 cup sifted cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 3 extra-large eggs separated
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 drops pure lemon extract
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• .
• Filling:
• (4) 8 ounce packages cream cheese (the regular variety, not light Neufchatel cream cheese) at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra large eggs
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• .
• Crunch: for sides:
• 1/2 cup chopped mixed nuts (almonds, pecans, and/or walnuts)
• 1/2 cup angel flake coconut
• .
• Ingredients for the Strawberry Topping:
• 1 quart large ripe strawberries
• 1 cup strawberry jelly
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from abclocal.go.com

Preparation

Step 1

Directions for the Thin Sponge Cake Layer for Cheesecake:
Preheat the oven to 350 F and generously butter a 9-inch springform pan
.
Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium-sized bowl and set aside
.
Beat the egg yolks together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes
.
Then, with the mixer still running, gradually add the 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until thick light-yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more
.
Beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts
.
Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand until no more white flecks appear
.
Then blend in the butter
.
In a clean bowl, using clean dry beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high until frothy
.
Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites should stand up in stiff peaks, but not be dry)
.
Stir about 1/3 cup of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites (don't worry if a few white specks remain)
.
Gently spoon the batter into the pan
.
Bake the cake just until the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched, only about 10 minutes (watch carefully!)
.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack while you continue making the cheesecake filling
.
Do not remove the cake from the pan
.
Makes Enough for One Cheesecake


Directions for the Cheesecake Filling:
.
Preheat the oven to 350degrees Fahrenheit and generously butter a 9-inch springform pan
.
Wrap the outside of the pan with foil, covering the bottom and extending up the sides
.
Make the batter for the sponge cake as the recipe directs
.
Evenly spread the batter on the bottom of the pan, and bake just until set and golden, about 10 minutes. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool (do not remove it from the pan)
.
Leave the oven on
.
While the cake cools, make the cream cheese filling:
.
Place an 8 ounce package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl
.
Beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally
.
Beat in the remaining 3 packages of cream cheese
.
Increase the mixer speed to high and beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups of sugar, then beat in the vanilla
.
Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating the batter well after adding each one
.
Blend in the heavy cream
.
At this point, mix the filling only until completely blended (just like they do at Junior's).
.
Be careful not to over mix the batter
.
Gently spoon the cheese filling on top of the baked sponge cake layer
.
Place the springform pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the pan
.
Bake the cheescake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the center barely jiggles when you shake the pan, about 1 hour and 10 minutes
.
Cool the cake on a wire rack for 1 hour
.
Then cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it's completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight
.
Remove the sides of the springform pan
.
Slide the cake off of the bottom of the pan onto a serving plate
.
Or if you wish, simply leave the cake on the removable bottom of the pan and place it on a serving plate
.
If any cake is left over, cover it with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator

Directions for the Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake:
.
Preheat the oven to 350 F and butter a 9-inch springform pan
.
Make and bake the sponge cake layer
.
Make the cheesecake filling and bake the cake as for Junior's Famous No. 1 Pure Cream Cheesecake
.
Transfer the baked cake to a wire rack to cool, about 1 hour
.
While the cake is baking and cooling, make the macaroon crunch:
.
Spread the nuts and coconut on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 F oven until golden and crunchy, about 10 to 15 minutes
.
Set the crunch aside to cool
.
To prepare the strawberries: Wash, hull, and sort through the strawberries, then pat them dry with paper towels
.
Starting at the outside edge of the cheesecake, arrange the berries on their sides, in rows, with ends pointing toward the edge of the cake
.
Continue until the top of the cake is completely covered by strawberries
.
Now make the strawberry topping:
.
Melt the strawberry jelly and apricot preserves together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
.
Strain and drizzle the warm jelly over the berries
.
Sprinkle the macaroon crunch in a 1 1/2-inch border around the edge of the cheesecake, covering the berries around the outside edge
.
Loosely cover the entire cake with plastic wrap, being careful not to let the glaze stick to the wrap
.
Refrigerate the cake until it's completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight
.
Remove the cake from the pan and serve it chilled
.
Wrap any leftover cake in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.