Grandmothers Cheesecake Recipes

GRANDMOTHER'S CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon peel, and 1 teaspoon orange peel. Split a 1-inch piece of vanilla bean; scrape seeds into flour mixture. Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs. Add 1 egg yolk; stir until all flour is moistened. Gather dough into ball, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Lightly butter a 9 inch springform pan. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick; trim to a 10 inch circle. Reserve pastry trimmings. Press pastry circle into bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of a 9 inch buttered springform pan. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake crust for 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack.
• Beat cream cheese, 1 3/4 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon peel and 1 1/2 teaspoons orange peel in large mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Split a 1 inch piece of vanilla bean and scrape seeds into cream cheese mixture. Beat in 5 eggs and 2 egg yolks, 1 at a time, on medium speed. Stir in cream.
• Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). Roll out reserved pastry trimmings on lightly floured board; cut into strips 2 inches wide. Pat strips up side of pan, pressing dough lightly to baked crust. Pour filling into crust. Bake 15 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR! Bake until cheesecake is firm in center, about 50 minutes. Turn off oven; leave cheesecake in oven with door slightly open for 1 hour. Remove from oven, and cool completely on wire rack. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

ITALIAN CREAM CHEESE AND RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.
• Mix the cream cheese and ricotta cheese together in a mixing bowl until well combined. Stir in the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, cornstarch, flour, and butter. Add the sour cream last and stir. Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven 1 hour; turn oven off and leave in oven 1 hour more. Allow to cool completely in refrigerator before serving.

GRANDMA'S NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Mix whipped topping, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until blended.
• Place cream cheese pieces on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave at 30-second intervals until warm and soft, but not discolored, about 1 minute.
• Mix cream cheese into whipped topping mixture; beat with an electric bender on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Pour into graham cracker crust, smoothing the top.
• Refrigerate cheesecake until set, 4 to 5 hours.

GRANDMA'S TAKE ON CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter for crust in a bowl until well mixed. Press into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch round pan.
• Combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract for filling in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until nearly set and only slightly jiggly in the center, about 18 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C) and keep cheesecake in for 2 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Leave the oven on.
• Combine sour cream, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix with a spoon. Pour carefully over the cooled filling.
• Bake in the oven until topping is set, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand at room temperature for 5 to 6 hours. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
• Set a kettle of water to boil. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.
• Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight before serving.

GRANDMA'S SOUR CREAM CHEESECAKE BITES

Steps:

• Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and sugar for crust together in a bowl until combined. Transfer to a 10x14-inch glass pan and press to cover the bottom. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine cream cheese and sugar for cream cheese layer in a bowl. Blend with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in vanilla and eggs, one at a time, until blended. Pour on top of the cooled crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are puffed and surface of cheesecake is firm except for a small spot in the center that will jiggle when the pan is gently shaken, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
• Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Beat sour cream, sugar, and vanilla for sour cream layer in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour on top of the cooled cheesecake.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle remaining graham cracker crumbs over top. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then cool in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
• Cut into 1-inch squares and serve.