Original Cheesecake Recipes

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Melt the butter, covered in the microwave, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, or a saucepan. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly into the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and put in a roasting pan.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat just until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Slowly beat in the sour cream, then eggs, vanilla and both citrus zests; take care not to over whip. Pour into the cooled crust.
• Bring a medium saucepan or kettle of water to a boil. Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour in enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes---the outside of the cake will set but the center will still be loose.
• For the topping: Stir together the sour cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over the top of the cooked cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Turn the oven off, cook the cheesecake in the residual heat in the oven for about 1 hour. This gentle finish minimizes the risk of the dreaded crack in your cheesecake.
• Remove cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Bring cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water, wipe dry before slicing each piece. Serve with berries, if desired.

ORIGINAL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/ fan 160C/ gas 4.
• Blend the digestive biscuits and the butter in a food processor until the mixture looks like wet sand. Then, press the mixture into the bottom of the tin (20cm) and bake for 10-12 minutes.
• Cool the base of the cheesecake while preparing the filling.
• Stir in a bowl the soft cheese and the caster sugar for a little. Continue by adding the double cream. Pour the mixture in the tin and smooth with a spoon or a spatula.
• Leave to set in the fridge for 1 hour or better overnight and serve with strawberries or rasberries or any marmelade you like.

PHILADELPHIA® CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Mix crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan.
• Beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust.
• 55 min. or until center is almost set. Loosen cake from rim of pan; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.

ORIGINAL NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Bring all ingredients to room temperature (this helps to prevent cracking).
• MIX crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter;.
• press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. (using a hamburger press handle works great for this!).
• Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes.
• MIX cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
• Blend in sour cream. mix well
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition, just until blended. Do not over mix!
• Pour over crust.
• Run a knife through to remove any air bubbles.
• BAKE 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until center is almost set. 325 °F for a silver springform pan 300 °F if using a dark nonstick pan
• Crack oven door open slightly and allow cheesecake to temper for about 30 minutes.
• Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake;.
• Remove rim of pan.
• Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. (This is a must!).
• Top with cherry pie filling and garnish, if desired.
• Variation, 1/3 cup seedless strawberry jam can be dropped in spoonfuls over the batter and cut through the batter several times for marble effect before baking.
• Variation #2 Cook above recipe and add 10 minutes before bake time ends. Mix 1 cup sour cream, 2 Tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla together and carefully spread over cheesecake and bake 10 minutes longer. When serving, top with mixed berries!
• Variation #3 Before serving, melt caramels in the microwave until smooth, stir in chopped pecans in desired and spoon on top of each slice.
• Variation #4 Before serving, Crush us peanut butter cups press lightly into top of cheescake and drizzle with chocolate syrup.
• Variation #5 Before serving, Cut cheesecake into cubes if desired, and drizzle with melted chocolate. Refrigerate for chocolate to harden.

TRADITIONAL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Grease the sides only of a 9-in. springform pan; press crumb mixture onto bottom of pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour filling onto crust. Return pan to baking sheet. , Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer., Refrigerate overnight. Serve with Raspberry Sauce and Sour Cream Topping if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

ORIGINAL NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• The day before you plan to serve the cheesecake:
• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make and bake the cake crust as directed and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.
• 2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment if your mixer has one, beat 1 package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch together on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each.
• 3. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. The filling will look light, creamy, airy, and almost like billowy clouds. Be careful not to overmix! Gently spoon the batter over the crust.
• 4. Place the cake pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes halfway (about 1 inch) up the side of the springform. Bake until the edge is light golden brown, the top is light gold, and the center barely jiggles, about 1 1/4 hours. If the cake still feels soft around the edge, let it bake for 10 minutes more (the cooking time will be about the same for both the 8- and 9-inch cheesecakes). Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours (just walk away-don't move it). Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold before serving, preferably overnight or for at least 6 hours.
• On serving day:
• 5. Release and remove the side of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a cake plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one, rinsing the knife with warm water between slices. Refrigerate any leftover cake, tightly covered, and enjoy within 2 days, or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.