My family was a pie family, occasionally a cake family, often a fruit and ice cream family but never a cheesecake family. Shortly after I lost my two front teeth, Megan, an adorable bob-haired friend, asked me to join her for dinner with her parents; we were going to the Cheesecake Factory, she said, as I stood in their kitchen nervously shifting from my left foot to right foot. Cheesecake? Did anything sound more revolting?
I imagined the blocks of cheese that my mom bought at the grocery store, the flimsy slices she tried to hide between a layer of turkey and a juicy tomato. They would have friends over for dinner, and she would shuffle out of the kitchen with a tray of cheese in hand, and I would watch the other adults devour the bite sized pieces with a garlic dusted cracker or a thinly sliced apple. I couldn't stand the stuff. The only way I took my cheese was a on a chewy, marinara covered crust from Little Ceaser's...and it still had to be warm when I took my first bite (we used our toaster oven often).
When we sat down to order at the restaurant, Megan and her mother thrust a page long cheesecake recipe under my wide-brown eyes. Look at this one, they said, and pointed to a seasonal pumpkin variety. This is my favorite, Megan whispered as her finger traced under the Oreo cookie version. My stomach began to knot as I scrolled up and down the page, imagining taking my first bite into a sweetly flavored block of cheese. What was I going to do? How was I going to get one of those gigantic pieces into my cheese-hating stomach?
I've never actually had a cheesecake, I sheepishly admitted after a few more minutes of exclamations and suggestions. Never? They asked, astonished at my cheesecake naivete. Never, I said and shrugged my shoulders, somewhat embarrassed but glad to be in the clear. Well you have to start with a classic, they all responded, almost bounding out of their chairs. Order a plain cheesecake with strawberries on top, you won't regret it, we promise.
I imagined the blocks of cheese that my mom bought at the grocery store, the flimsy slices she tried to hide between a layer of turkey and a juicy tomato. They would have friends over for dinner, and she would shuffle out of the kitchen with a tray of cheese in hand, and I would watch the other adults devour the bite sized pieces with a garlic dusted cracker or a thinly sliced apple. I couldn't stand the stuff. The only way I took my cheese was a on a chewy, marinara covered crust from Little Ceaser's...and it still had to be warm when I took my first bite (we used our toaster oven often).
When we sat down to order at the restaurant, Megan and her mother thrust a page long cheesecake recipe under my wide-brown eyes. Look at this one, they said, and pointed to a seasonal pumpkin variety. This is my favorite, Megan whispered as her finger traced under the Oreo cookie version. My stomach began to knot as I scrolled up and down the page, imagining taking my first bite into a sweetly flavored block of cheese. What was I going to do? How was I going to get one of those gigantic pieces into my cheese-hating stomach?
I've never actually had a cheesecake, I sheepishly admitted after a few more minutes of exclamations and suggestions. Never? They asked, astonished at my cheesecake naivete. Never, I said and shrugged my shoulders, somewhat embarrassed but glad to be in the clear. Well you have to start with a classic, they all responded, almost bounding out of their chairs. Order a plain cheesecake with strawberries on top, you won't regret it, we promise.
And of course, when I took my first bite of cheesecake a few minutes later, my mouth went from a preparatory grimace into an unmistakable expression of delight. This was anything but a block of cheese, and I felt blissful and alive. Each creamy and sweet bite slid down my throat, and the crunchy graham cracker crust was buttery enough to entice me to pick up each crumb with a wet finger. As a skinny eight year old, I proudly polished off my entire cheesecake, and I left the restaurant with a full stomach and a satisfied psyche.
The recipe below was my first attempt at making my own cheesecake at home. As I mentioned, we're not a cheesecake family, and I doubt we ever will be. But I enjoy taking a bite of cheesecake on occasion, and I found that the recipe provided a delightful cake that was enjoyed by all. What I liked about this particular recipe was its relative simplicity. There are no water baths, and after patiently waiting to remove my cake from the oven, I had a delightfully creamy dessert that I topped with homemade strawberry jam.
The recipe below was my first attempt at making my own cheesecake at home. As I mentioned, we're not a cheesecake family, and I doubt we ever will be. But I enjoy taking a bite of cheesecake on occasion, and I found that the recipe provided a delightful cake that was enjoyed by all. What I liked about this particular recipe was its relative simplicity. There are no water baths, and after patiently waiting to remove my cake from the oven, I had a delightfully creamy dessert that I topped with homemade strawberry jam.
New York Style Cheesecake
*From Cook's Illustrated
1 sleeve of graham crackers
6 TBSP butter, melted
2 TBSP sugar
2.5 pounds of cream cheese (5 packages) softened to room temperature
A pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of superfine sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup sour cream
6 eggs
2 egg yolks
1. Butter the bottom of a nine inch spring form pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Finely crush the sleeve of graham crackers, using a food processor, if possible. Mix with the sugar and 5 1/2 tbsp of the butter with a fork until crumbly. (reserve the remaining butter for brushing the springform pan)
3. Press the crumbs in the bottom of the prepared pan, bake for 13 minutes, and remove to rack to cool while you prepare the filling. Brush the sides of your spring form pan with remaining melted butter generously after the crust has cooled.
4. Turn your oven up to 500 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese for about 2 minutes with the salt. Add the sugar in thirds, and beat well after each addition. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
5. Add the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix well.
6. Add the eggs two at a time, beating well after each addition, including the two extra egg yolks. Pour mixture into cooled crust and place on a lipped baking sheet in case of spillover.
7. Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 200 degrees.
DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR and bake for an additional 90 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, cool for five minutes on wire rack and run a knife around the outer edge of the cake. Allow to cool for 3 hours at room temp.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Best served 30 minutes out of the refrigerator.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
*From Cook's Illustrated
1 sleeve of graham crackers
6 TBSP butter, melted
2 TBSP sugar
2.5 pounds of cream cheese (5 packages) softened to room temperature
A pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of superfine sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup sour cream
6 eggs
2 egg yolks
1. Butter the bottom of a nine inch spring form pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Finely crush the sleeve of graham crackers, using a food processor, if possible. Mix with the sugar and 5 1/2 tbsp of the butter with a fork until crumbly. (reserve the remaining butter for brushing the springform pan)
3. Press the crumbs in the bottom of the prepared pan, bake for 13 minutes, and remove to rack to cool while you prepare the filling. Brush the sides of your spring form pan with remaining melted butter generously after the crust has cooled.
4. Turn your oven up to 500 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese for about 2 minutes with the salt. Add the sugar in thirds, and beat well after each addition. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula.
5. Add the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Mix well.
6. Add the eggs two at a time, beating well after each addition, including the two extra egg yolks. Pour mixture into cooled crust and place on a lipped baking sheet in case of spillover.
7. Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 200 degrees.
DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR and bake for an additional 90 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, cool for five minutes on wire rack and run a knife around the outer edge of the cake. Allow to cool for 3 hours at room temp.
Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Best served 30 minutes out of the refrigerator.
Always,
Monet
Anecdotes and Apple Cores
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