New York Cheesecake

Recipe courtesy Scott Bieber, Executive Chef at Taste

Cook Time: 1 hr 20 min
Level: Difficult
Yield: 6 to 8 servings


Ingredients

Crust:
* 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 5 tablespoons sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
* 6 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
* 24 ounces cream cheese
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 tablespoon lemon zest (recommended: Meyer lemon)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 5 eggs, separated
* 1/4 cup heavy cream
* 2 tablespoons sugar

Topping:
* 12 ounces creme fraiche
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* Cherry Confit, recipe follows
* Special equipment: a 9-inch non-stick Teflon coated spring form pan
* Serving suggestion: with a dessert wine (recommended: Alsatian Riesling).


Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Crust:
Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the springform pan and using a mixing cup press the crumbs into the base. Using your fingers gently press crumbs into the sides of the pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Let cool.


Filling:
In a food processor, cream the cream cheese and the sugar together. Add the zest and vanilla, Blend until smooth. Add 5 egg yolks and heavy cream, pulse until smooth. Pour into a large clean bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until a soft froth forms. Add 2 tablespoons sugar slowly to the egg whites and continue to whisk until soft peaks form. Fold into cream cheese, a little bit at a time until fully integrated. Pour into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until firm. Let cool for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Topping:
Mix the creme fraiche and sugar together and gently spread over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Bake for 5 minutes. Let cool until the topping is set or chill overnight and serve. Best served at room temperature.

Serve with Cherry Confit.


Cherry Confit:

1 pound fresh cherries, pitted
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean, split
2 sprigs thyme (tied with string)


In a medium non-corrosive saucepan place water, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and thyme. Bring to the boil, turn down heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add cherries and simmer for 1 hour. If more liquid is needed add water. Continue to simmer until the cherry mixture is thick and the cherries are soft. Pour into a clean container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Yield: 6 servings
Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

From: foodnetwork.com

The Ultimate Cheesecake

Cook Time: 45 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients
Crust:

* 2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 30 squares)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

* 1 pound cream cheese, 2 (8-ounce) blocks, softened
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 pint sour cream
* 1 lemon, zested
* 1 dash vanilla extract
* Warm Lemon Blueberry Topping, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients with a fork until
evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch
springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the crumbs into the
pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a
glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1-inch up the sides.
Refrigerate for 5 minutes.

For the Filling:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed
for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a
time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar
and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add sour cream, lemon zest,
and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the
beaters. The batter should be well mixed but not over-beaten. Pour the
filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up
the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour
boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway
up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from
seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake
should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful
not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the
refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the
cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula
around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate. Using a
spatula spread a layer of Warm Lemon Blueberry topping over the
surface.

Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been
dipped in hot water. Wipe dry after each cut.
Warm Lemon Blueberries:

* 1 pint blueberries
* 1 lemon, zested and juiced
* 2 tablespoons sugar

In a small saucepan add all the ingredients and simmer over medium
heat for 5 minutes or so until the fruit begins to break down
slightly. Leave to cool before spreading on cheesecake.

Yield: 6 servings

Cook Time: 5 minutes