Sunday, November 14th - D's Ultimate NY Cheesecake w Ginger Thin Crust

D's Ultimate NY Style Cheesecake with Ginger Thin Crust

D always bakes my birthday cake, well dessert.  I have 2 favourite desserts.  Desserts of the sort that no matter how full I am, if we are out for dinner, if they appear on the menu, I will order.  Those treasured desserts of Tiramisu and a nice fluffy NY Style baked Cheesecake.  D's Tiramisu, with generous layers of Marscapone, is also awesome.  Though lately, I have been lamenting that I cannot find a decent Cheesecake in Vancouver.   There is definitely a dearth of dessert specialty spots here.  Odd.  And the majority of the cheesecakes are the dense, heavy 1-1.5 inch types.  I really like the creamy yet fluffy and TALL, baked variety.  MMMMM.

D took matters into his own hands to stop my winging as well, he'd been bragging about how awesome his cake was.  He really had no choice :^D

D's Ultimate NY-Style Cheesecake with Ginger Thin Crust

Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Boil a kettle full of water.

Crust

2 packages Anna's Ginger Thins (300 g), pulverised

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 c or 1 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

Filling

2 (8oz each) packages Cream Cheese, room temperature

3 large Eggs

1 c Vanilla Sugar

1 tub (2 c or 16 oz.) Sour Cream

1 Lemon, zested

1 Vanilla Bean, scraped

In a food processor, pulse the cookies until they reach the consistency of sand. In a large bowl, combine the Cookies, Butter and Cinnamon with a fork until evenly moistened. This is alot of crush.  D and I love alot of crust.  Butter the bottom and sides of a 8-inch springform pan.  Cut out a piece of parchment paper and Butter as well. Pour the crust into the pan and press the crust as evenly as you can with your fingers all the way up the sides of the pan and press into the bottom as well.  D always feels cheated on crust so he quite deliberately makes extra crust.  Refrigerate for 5 minutes to firm slightly.

When dealing with Cream Cheese, I highly recommend you use a mixer or a beater. In the mixing bowl, beat the Cream Cheese on low until fairly smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the Eggs 1 at a time. Continue mixing until mixed evenly.  Gradually add the Sugar and beat until creamy,  1 to 2 minutes. Add the Sour Cream, Lemon Zest, and Vanilla seeds. You may to occasionally stop the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. Do not over work.

Place the springform pan in the centre of a large piece of Heavy Duty aluminum foil. Press the foil up tightly against the pan.  Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Place the cake in centre of a  large roasting pan. I suggest you place the roasting pan in the oven first and then place the cake in the pan.  Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan BUT not higher than the level of the foil.  The foil should prevent the water from seeping in the joints of the springform pan bottom.  The water should promote even cooking and not hot spots common to ovens. Bake for 90 minutes until the top starts to look like it is at least starting to congeal and does not look like or move like pudding on top.  As well, it will start to brown slightly.  There could be 15 minutes on either side of 90 minutes depending on your oven.  The cheesecake will still jiggle when it comes out and will continue firm up.  So try not to be tempted to overcook.  Let cool in pan in water bath for 30 minutes with the oven door open.

When the cake is about room temperature or comfortable to touch, chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours.  I use a pot lid.  Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin spatula around the edge of the pan. Unlatch and carefuly lift the side up and off and transfer to a cake plate. 

Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water before each cut.

We used our refridgerator Blueberry Jam as a compote on top.  It was a simple reduction of Blueberries, Sugar, Lemon Juice and Zest and Pectin.  Warm slightly before topping your cake. 

SOOOOO YUMMO!