Cheesecake

I wanted to do something nice for my BFF because her and her boyfriend came to my rescue and not only fixed my snowblower but cleared my driveway. I could have kissed their feet when I came home after a long day at work and finding that I didn't have to shovel. I figured they'd enjoy dinner and dessert instead of their feet kissed, so I made a roast with garlic mashed potatoes and a cheesecake.

I was SO bummed that the top of my cheesecake came out looking burnt!! I'm always worried about cracking but BURNT...no that is NOT something I expected. Truly, it wasn't..it just got darker than it should have and I have no idea why. I'll be calling to have my oven checked out! But, being that cheesecake isn't something you make everyday (and I didn't have another 5 packages of cream cheese around) and it typically looks a whole lot prettier and the recipient..my BFF, loves me...flaws and all so I sent it over. She said that is tasted great...so, I thought I'd share it anyway.

AND, if I had been serving this myself, I would have decorated the top with fresh berries or hot fudge and no one would have been the wiser. That type of topping doesn't transport well, so I couldn't take a photo with it all dolled up and fool ya. Plus, sometimes you just have to admit that you aren't perfect;). But, for my sake...we'll pretend I did. Ok, have I convinced you that this is not normally how it looks and you should give it a try, lol??

This cheesecake is easy and it is really light and creamy but not too fluffy. It's just the right amount of firm. Yummy!!

Cheesecake
Crust
1 1/4 C Graham Crackers crushed ~ that's one pack of crackers to save you measuring
1/4 C melted Butter
1/4 C Sugar

Cheesecake
5 8 oz packages soft Cream Cheese~I use 1/3 fat
1 3/4 C Sugar
3 T Flour
1/2 t grated Orange Peel
1 t grated Lemon Peel
2 Egg Yolks
5 Eggs
1/4 C Heavy Cream ~ I used 1/2 and 1/2

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Blend crumbs, butter and sugar. Spread crumb mixture over bottom and up the sides of a sprayed springform pan. Combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, orange and lemon peel in large mixing bowl. It's best to add one cream cheese at a time. Add eggs and yolks..mixing well after each egg is added (I add one egg after each package of cream cheese). Add cream and beat at medium speed until just blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 250 and bake another hour. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN. ONCE YOU PUT THAT CAKE INSIDE, YOU WILL NOT OPEN THE OVEN UNTIL IT'S TIME TO COME OUT. Turn the oven off and let the cake sit for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool at room temp. Top as desired.
Yep, this package of crackers will make 1 1/4 C of crushed graham cracker crumbs. Throw these babies in a ziploc and let's get the party started.
Roll a rolling pin over the crackers or pound out the days aggressions..you just need them crushed, doesn't matter how you do it.
Here is what a springform pan looks like. It has an outer ring that has a clamp. The clamp releases and the ring comes off leaving just the base. I have never made this cheesecake in anything but a springform pan so I can't tell you if it works in a cake pan. Sometimes, you just have to buy or borrow a piece of equipment to see if the recipe is worth it..I can tell you..this recipe is worth the cost of a springform pan.
Here's your crust evenly spread out and pressed into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Zest your orange and lemon with a cheese grater, the small side works great for zesting.
When you zest...you don't want to go to "deep" into the peel. Once you get the top layer off, turn your fruit and keep going.
I had my big mixer out so I decided to use it but you know what, I like my hand mixer better for this recipe. It just seems to mix up the cream cheese better and yes, I tried both attachments and the hand mixer wins. At any rate, this is the sugar, flour, peel, yolks and first package of cream cheese. Mix it up. Add another cream cheese and egg, keep going until it's all mixed in. Add the cream last and mix until just blended.
Pour batter into pan and this baby is ready for the oven. I rarely preheat and for this recipe it is a MUST. The oven needs to be 500 degrees, open quick, put your cake in and close until it's ready to come out. NO PEEKING!
Run a sharp knife around the top before you unlatch the ring or you could crack your cake.
In my disgust of the looks of it, I forgot to take a photo without the ring but you get the idea.

I know, I'll call this my creme brulee cheesecake..now I feel better...it's supposed to look like this;)