Lisa's Signature Cheesecake

 

A sweet friend at work ordered a cheesecake 
for a birthday celebration this week.  

I had not made my signature cheesecake in a while, 
and I was delighted to be up to my elbows 
in that wonderful cheesecake deliciousness once again!  

I was telling him that I have had this recipe since 
I was 18 years old and it's the best recipe I have ever found. 

It's a little bit involved...and a little bit of an investment!  
It takes 5 blocks of cream cheese and 7 eggs!  
But, oh, it is soooo worth it!  

Cook it for a special occasion and wow everyone--I promise!


******************************************************

Lisa's Signature Cheesecake

The crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, melted

The filling:

5  8oz pkgs cream cheese, at room temperature

5 eggs and 2 egg yolks, at room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar

1/8 cup cake flour

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Prepare the crust--

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar 

and melted butter in a bowl.  Stir until well combined.  

I use parchment paper to line just 

the bottom of the spring-form pan.  

Then spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.  

Put the crumb mixture in the bottom of pan and 

press evenly on the bottom and a little up the sides.  

I also cook my cheesecakes in a water bath.  

Tear a large piece of heavy-duty foil and set 

the spring-form pan on it.  

Wrap the foil around.
  

Set the pan in a larger baking pan 
that you will fill halfway with water.  

Filling:

Place the cream cheese in mixing bowl and mix until smooth.  

Add the 2 egg yolks next and then the 5 eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of mixing bowl 

a few times to make sure there are no lumps.  

Add the sugar, flour and heavy cream next.  

Blend until smooth and creamy.  Pour into prepared crust.  

Set pan in oven in the larger baking pan and carefully 

fill halfway up the side of the spring-form pan with water.  

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  

Turn the temperature down to 300 degrees 

and continue baking for 1 hour, until filling is set.  

Let completely cool in the spring-form pan 

and then refrigerate overnight.  

You can serve it with any topping you like 

or it is amazing just like it is...

The wonderful ingredients:

Prepare your spring-form pan with the parchment paper 

on the bottom and wrap it with 

the heavy duty foil around the outside...

Set it in a pan that you'll fill with water...

Make the crust by add the graham cracker crumbs...

and the melted butter...

and sugar together...

Stir till combined...

Pour it in the pan...

You can use a cup to press it evenly and go a little up the sides...

Onto the filling--

In the mixing bowl, 

add the packages of cream cheese...

I add the 2 yolks first...

Then the other 5 whole eggs...

Next the sugar...

The cake flour...

The heavy whipping cream...

Blend till creamy...

Pour the filling into the pan...

Set it in the oven and add the water to the baking pan...

Bake for 400 degrees for 10 minutes...

then reduce temperature to 300 and bake for an hour, 

until the center is set...

Ta-Da!! 

I let it cool completely on the counter 

without removing it from the pan.  

I then refrigerate it overnight in the pan also.  

The next day, remove it from the pan and 

remove the parchment paper from the bottom 

of the springform pan.  

Transfer it to a pretty plate and serve!