Ingredients
- Butter for the pan
- 2 – 8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 graham crackers (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350. Brush an 8 or 10 inch springform pan with butter.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese with the sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until smooth. On low to medium speed, add the eggs and egg yolk, one by one. Don’t add another egg until the one before it is completely incorporated. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and salt, mixing for about 30 second, or just long enough to combine the ingredients.
Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan, wrap the pan in aluminum foil, and place it in a baking pan or roasting pan at least as deep as the springform pan. Fill the baking pan with the hottest water from the tap until the water comes halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Place in the oven and bake for about 90 minutes, or until only a 1 inch diameter bull’s eye in the center of the cake moves when you jiggle the pan.
Put the graham crackers in a resealable plastic bag and crush them with your fingers or a rolling pin. If you want them very fine, work them through a strainer after crushing. Or, puree the graham crackers in a food processor.
Remove the cake from the springform pan, but leave it on the base. Hold it up with one hand while using the other to pat the sides with the graham cracker crumbs. Allow to cool. If cracks appear, they can be disguised by covering the top of the cheesecake with a layer of sour cream.
Variations:
The cheesecake may be flavored with spices, 2 tablespoons (or more to taste) cocoa, 1 tablespoon strong coffee, 1 tablespoon vanilla or ½ cup fruit puree. If you are adding more than 1/3 cup liquid flavoring to the cheesecake, you should adjust the amount of egg, egg white or egg yolk in the recipe. Add 1 whole egg per ¾ cup extra liquid, 1 egg white per 1/3 cup extra liquid, or 1 egg yolk per ½ cup extra liquid.