Cheesecake 101

[iandaina]

I am a HUGE cheesecake fanatic, love experimenting with them. The thing I was wondering, is there a basic standard run of the mill recipie that you can make and add stuffs to? Or basic rules of cheesecake making? Any infos would be greatly appreciated.

[Arborealus]

Here is my basic NY Cheesecake recipe:

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 pint heavy cream
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
7 medium eggs
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter until well blended . Press mixture into a 9 inch springform pan.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine cream, flour, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat together, and then pour into cream cheese mixture. Mix well. Pour filling into prepared graham cracker crust.

Bake in the preheated oven for 65 minutes. Turn off oven, and cool cake in oven for 30 minutes. Prop door open and cool in oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Refrigerate for as long as possible before serving.



Make a few standard recipes to get used to the consistency then play with cheese selections, Neufchatels, Ricotta, Moscarpone, Cottage Cheese or combinations. Each cheese type will make for a different texture and flavour. Add other ingredients as flavouring agents at will balancing the cream to get to about the same consistency (add a bit more cream if you use dry flavourings, remove a bit for liquid flavourings.)

Also try ditching the sugar/graham cracker crust and add savoury herbs and flavourings to a butter/cracker crust. a Sundried Tomato and Basil cheesecake with Some Parmesan/Mozarella or Avocado/Chile/Cilantro Cheesecake with Queso fresco and Queso blanco