Cheesecake

Cheesecake is a custard. As such, it should be cooked in a water bath, with the water coming up 2/3 of the way of the cheesecake. It is best if it can sit overnight in the fridge

Good Eats Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

• Graham crackers (crumbled, but do it yourself don't get the crumbs in a box)
• 4 oz unsalted butter, and some for the pan
• 1 tbs sugar

Cake

• 20 oz cream cheese
• 1.25 cups sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 2 eggs + 3 yolks
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Prep

• Preheat oven to 300F
• Brush some melted butter on 9x3" cake pan (not springform), add parchment to cover bttom & sides

Process

Crust

• Combine the rest of the butter & graham crackers + 1 tbs sugar in the pan and tamp lightly
• Bake for 10 minutes. Bake the leftover crumbs too, on a cookie sheet

Cake

• Beat sour cream with paddle for 30 seconds
  • Add cream cheese & sugar, beat on low for 30 seconds
  • Bead on med-high until smooth, scraping as needed
  • Cool before continuing
• In a separate bowl combine eggs, vanilla, and cream
• Put mixer to medium, slowly add wet goods
  • Scrape after half of it is in, then beat on high for the other half
  • Once completely mixed, pour in cooled pan with crust

Lower oven to 250.

• Bake in a water bath with a towel under the pan for 1 hour
• Open door 1 minute, turn off oven
• Close door & bake 1 more hour

Let sit at least 6 hours (overnight is best) in the fridge. Put leftover graham cracker crumbs on side.

Modifications

• I made a pumpkin cheescake and it was excellent. Add 1 can of pumpkin, and reduce cream cheese by 1/3. Increased baking time significantly, around 45 extra minutes with the oven on.