Cheesecake

Cheesecake

Ingredients

  • CRUST
  • 3/4 cup coarsely ground walnuts (3 ounces)
  • 3/4 cup finely crushed graham crackers
  • 3 Tablespoons melted unsalted butter
  • FILLING
  • 4 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 4 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups white sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • TOPPING
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • STRAWBERRY GLAZE*:
  • 1 quart medium strawberries
  • 1 (12-ounce) jar red raspberry jelly
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup Cointreau
  • 1/4 cup water

Directions

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter 9- or 10-inch springform pan.

For crust: Combine walnuts, graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press compactly onto bottom of pan.

For filling: Beat cream cheese in large bowl of electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla; beat thoroughly. Spoon over crust.

Set pan on baking sheet to catch any butter that may drip out. Bake 10-inch cake 40 to 45 minutes or 9-inch cake 50 to 55 minutes. (Cake may rise slightly and crack in several areas; it will settle again, cracks will minimize and topping will cover it up.) Remove from oven and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Retain oven temperature at 350 degrees F.

TOPPING: Combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla and blend well. Cover and refrigerate. When cake has finished baking, spoon topping over, starting at center and extending to within 1/2 inch of edge. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes longer. Let cool, then refrigerate cheesecake (leave it in the springform pan) for at least 24 hours or, preferably 2 to 3 days. (I've made this the day before serving and it sets up just fine.)

FOR GLAZE: Several hours before serving, wash and hull berries and let dry completely on paper towels. Combine a little jelly and cornstarch in saucepan and mix well. Add remaining jelly, Cointreau and water and cook over medium heat, stirring frequenly, until thickened and clear, about 5 minutes. Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.

Using knife, loosen cake from pan; remove springform. Arrange berries pointed end up over top of cake. Spoon glaze over berries allowing some to drip down sides of cake. Return to refrigerator until glaze is set.

*Omit glaze and simply arrange fresh strawberries, pointed end up, of cake.



Print this recipe

Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: BonAppetite, Feb. 1981
Submitted By: Betty
n/a
Cheesecake