1/4 c (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, melted
24 oz cream cheese, softened
3/4 c sugar
3 eggs
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 t vanilla
1 c sour cream
3 T sugar
Instructions
Combine the graham crumbs, 2 T sugar and butter in a bowl and mix well. Press evenly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 5-6 minutes or until brown. Let stand until cool. Beat the cream cheese in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add 3/4 c sugar gradually, beating until smooth. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Spoon into the prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until set. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees. Mix the sour cream and 3 T sugar in a bowl. Spread evenly over the hot cheesecake. Bake for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Chill, covered, for 8 hours or longer. Remove the side of the pan. Garnish with fresh fruit, such as raspberries and peaches.
3 VARIATONS OF CRUSTS- 1. Walnut Gingersnap Crust, combine 3 1/2 oz walnuts, chopped, 1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, 2 T sugar and 1 1/4 c fine gingersnap crumbs in a bowl and mix well. Press over the bottom and up the sides of the 9 inch springorm. Bake at 375 degrees 10 minutes. 2. Amaretti Cookie Crust,combine 1 cup amaretti cookie crumbs, 1 c graham cracker crumbs, 2 T sugar and 1/2 c unsalted butter, melted. Press into bottom and sides of 9 inch springorm. Bake at 350 degrees 7-10 minutes. 3. Chocolate crumb Crust, process 1 package chocolate wafers in a blender to make very fine crumbs (about 2 cups). Mix the crumbs, 2 T sugar, and 7 T unsalted butter, melted, in a bowl. Press into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch springform. Bake at 350 degrees 7-10 minutes.
3 VARIATIONS OF CHEESECAKE- 1. Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake, prepare chocolate crumb crust. Omit the lemon juice and fold 2 c frozen 1 inch brownie pieces into the filling above. Omit the sour cream topping. Bake for 40 minutes. 2. Chocolate Almond Cheesecake, prepare amaretti cookie crust. Omit the lemon juice and add 5 oz melted bittersweet chocoalte, 1 t almond extract and 4 oz almond paste to teh filling above (cream the almond paste first and then add the cream cheese). The sour cream topping is optional. Bake for 45 minutes.
Pumpkin Cheesecake, prepare walnut gingersnap crust. Add 2 c canned pumpkin puree and 1 t each groudn ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg to the filling above. Use the sour cream topping. Bake for 45 minutes.
Originally Submitted
10/21/2012
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