Larry Cooks

THE BEST NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

(It's so good the missing slice pictured below will be the size of your first taste) 

Awesome Cheesecake recipe sent to me by a friend. 

(Recipe came from Jim Fobel's Old-Fashioned Baking Book)

Ingredients:

5 large eggs at room temperature

2 cups (1 pint) sour cream, room temp.

4 8 oz. packages cream cheese, room temp.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Generously butter the inside of a 10 inch spring form pan.

Wrap a double layer of aluminum foil tightly around the outside bottom and sides, crimping

and pleating the foil to make it conform to the pan. This will help to prevent water seeping into the pan when you put it into the bain-marie. ( roasting pan that the pie pan can fit into with a bit of room around).

Position the baking rack in the center of the oven: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the sour cream until well blended. In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese with the butter until smooth and creamy. Add this to the egg-sour cream mixture and beat until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon juice and zest and beat thoroughly, about 2 minutes.

Pour into the prepared springform pan and place in the roasting pan. Place in the oven and carefully pour in enough very hot tap water to reach halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake for 2 hour 15 minutes, or until the cake is very lightly colored and a knife inserted in the center emerges clean.

Remove from the water bath and carefully peel the aluminum foil from around the pan. Let stand at room temperature until completely cool, about 4 hours. Refrigerate, covered, until well chilled. For best flavor and texture, this cheesecake is best chilled overnight. 

( I couldn't wait. I ate a slice after the initial 4 hour cooling and I'm drooling just thinking about it. )