New York Style Cheesecake

Ingredients

butter

6 + 2 tbsp (1 stick)

graham crackers

~10oz (a full sleeve)

sugar

2 tbsp

cinnamon

1 tsp

nutmeg

½ tsp

cream cheese, room temp

2½ lb (5x 8oz bricks)

salt

½ tsp

sugar (ultrafine preferred)

1½ cups

vanilla extract

2 tsp

lemon juice

2 tsp

sour cream

1/3 cups

eggs

6

egg yolks

2

Crust:

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium/low heat.
3. Pulverize graham crackers with processor until a powder.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together graham cracker, almond, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Combine thoroughly. Pour about 6 tbsp of butter (3/4 of liquid butter) into mixture. Toss/stir together with a fork until evenly coated. Press crumb mixture into an even layer at bottom of 9” spring form pan.
5. Bake at 350°F for 13min, and then cool completely on a rack. Custard:
6. INCREASE OVEN TEMPERATURE TO 500°F.
7. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and salt together until smooth consistence. Beat in the sugar in thirds. Scrape down the sides about 1-2min after each addition.
8. Add the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Mix well and scrape down sides.
9. Add the eggs and egg yolks, two at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine:
10. Brush sides of spring form pan with remaining melted butter generously.
11. Pour custard into cooled crust. Tap pan 3-4 times to shake loose any bubbles out of custard.
12. Put cookie sheet with 1/2” of water on lower oven rack.
13. Bake at 500°F for 8min to lightly brown top.
14. REDUCE HEAT TO 200°F. Bake at 200°F for 1hr 45min. Do not open the oven door, do not let out the heat. The heat is important for even baking and to avoid cracking.
15. Remove from oven, cool for 5min on wire rack. Run knife around the outer edge of the cake. Allow to cool for 3hrs at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3hrs.

Notes

cheese to get a tangier cheesecake.