Just Cheesecake
Redbook Magazine, March 1984
Makes 16 servings
Filling:
2-1/2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 tbl. flour
5 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Nut Crust (recipe below)
Filling: heat oven to 275 deg. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and flour with an electric mixer. When smooth, beat in 2 of the eggs, then the other 3. Stir in cream and vanilla. Scrape into the Nut Crust. Hold pan about 3” above counter and let drop - do this 3 or 4 times to break up any large bubbles in the mixture.
To Bake: Place the pan on a square of heavy aluminum foil and wrap foil around sides of pan tightly to prevent water from leaking in. Place the cheesecake pan into a larger pan, then fill larger pan 2” deep with water and put in oven on center rack. This ‘water bath’ helps the cheesecake to cook slowly and evenly and the moisture prevents the top of the cheesecake from cracking. Bake 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until center of cake begins to feel firm to the touch. Remove from oven. Remove foil and place pan of cheesecake on wire rack to cool for about 45 min. Lightly cover cake and place in fridge - ON the wire rack (for circulation), and chill at least 5 hours before serving.
To serve: you can serve the cake plain with a dollop of whipped cream, or decorate it with strawberries.
Nut Crust: Bake 1 cup unblanched nuts for 10-15 minutes at 400 deg., shaking pan several times. They should be lightly toasted. Cool about 10 minutes then coarsely grind or chop nuts. Melt 2 tbl. butter or margarine in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in ground nuts and 2 tbl. granulated sugar. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of an oiled, 9” springform pan and place in freezer until ready to use.
Redbook Magazine, March 1984
Makes 16 servings
Filling:
2-1/2 lbs. cream cheese, at room temperature
1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 tbl. flour
5 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Nut Crust (recipe below)
Filling: heat oven to 275 deg. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and flour with an electric mixer. When smooth, beat in 2 of the eggs, then the other 3. Stir in cream and vanilla. Scrape into the Nut Crust. Hold pan about 3” above counter and let drop - do this 3 or 4 times to break up any large bubbles in the mixture.
To Bake: Place the pan on a square of heavy aluminum foil and wrap foil around sides of pan tightly to prevent water from leaking in. Place the cheesecake pan into a larger pan, then fill larger pan 2” deep with water and put in oven on center rack. This ‘water bath’ helps the cheesecake to cook slowly and evenly and the moisture prevents the top of the cheesecake from cracking. Bake 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until center of cake begins to feel firm to the touch. Remove from oven. Remove foil and place pan of cheesecake on wire rack to cool for about 45 min. Lightly cover cake and place in fridge - ON the wire rack (for circulation), and chill at least 5 hours before serving.
To serve: you can serve the cake plain with a dollop of whipped cream, or decorate it with strawberries.
Nut Crust: Bake 1 cup unblanched nuts for 10-15 minutes at 400 deg., shaking pan several times. They should be lightly toasted. Cool about 10 minutes then coarsely grind or chop nuts. Melt 2 tbl. butter or margarine in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in ground nuts and 2 tbl. granulated sugar. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of an oiled, 9” springform pan and place in freezer until ready to use.