I grew up in New York City where cheesecake was once the king of desserts. Nowadays, cupcakes and macaroons have sidled into number one positions. I still remember my first glorious bite of the heavenly cheesecake that the Brass Rail restaurant made famous. I was a teenager and it was unlike any kind of cake I had ever experienced for certainly wasn't in my family's culinary vocabulary. For quite awhile, it was my favorite dessert order. And, I can't tell you how many cheesecakes I baked during my catering career!
There are myriad variations of cheesecake, savory as well as sweet. The following recipe is exceptional just as is; but don't be afraid to put your imagination to work. I once made an English toffee version. Imagine....
LEMON-VANILLA CHEESECAKE
From Maida Heatter's "Book of Great Desserts"
2 pounds cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
3 T fresh lemon juice
1 T grated lemon rind
1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth and light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula after each addition. On low speed, ad the vanilla extract, lemon juice and grated lemon rind. Pour into a greased 8-inch round metal pan that is 3 inches deep. Put the pan into a larger pan and pour in hot water to a depth of 1 1/2 inches. Place in the bottom third of the oven. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Lift the cheesecake out of the water and cool completely. Invert onto a plate covered with oiled waxed paper. Spoon the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the bottom of the cake. Invert again onto your serving plate. Refrigerate 6 hours before serving.
*Fresh berries or lingonberry preserves are excellent garnishes to serve with this cheesecake.
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