Never Fail your New York Cheesecake Ever!

I meant every word. One of the many problems I encounter with cheesecakes is that no matter how much I try not to overbake, overmix and over everything, my cheesecake cannot stand on its own without being confined in the refrigerator. It will fall down given a chance to serve it at room temperature.


But with this recipe, say goodbye to failed cheesecakes! It will knock your kitchen out and is legit as any other recipe for cheesecakes. Though we kind of cheated by adding tablespoons of flour to the batter but who cares! If something this good is to arrive in your plate then let everyone cheat! :P

But please do not SIN: overbake and overmix! 

This recipe is meant for those who have followed word by word, heart by heart but still end up with a cheesecake that cannot stand at a room temperature or a cheesecake that could pass as a spongecake with cracks on it!

Recipe originally came from Yummy magazine JULY 2011 issue. I revised the crust a bit though and it turned out yummier! Trust me on this one!

Serves 8-10   Prep Time 30 minutes
Baking Time 1 1/2 hours

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan; set aside.

YOU NEED:
For the crust
1 cup graham crackers crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/3 cup melted butter
shortening for brushing

Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, chopped walnuts and melted butter. Taste. Okay enough! You don't want to end with a crustless cheesecake, do you? (warning: damn good crust!) Mix until well and crumbs are evenly moistened. Pour into pan and press evenly onto the bottom.  Brush sides of pan with shortening. Bake for 10 minutes, place on cooling rack to cool. Reduce heat to 300 degrees fahrenheit.

What I did:

For the crust
1 cup graham crackers, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup of roasted walnuts, chopped
shortening for brushing

Toss them into a food processor, pulse, stop, scrape sides, pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened. Brush sides pf pan with shortening. Bake for 10 minutes, place on a cooling rack to cool, Reduce heat to 300 degrees fahrenheit. (Well what I really did was toss them it in the fridge to speed up the cooling process. We're allowed to cheat here, right? Haaha!)

For the filling
2 cups cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (read: cheat!)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 eggs, at room temperature

Make the filling: Beat cream cheese, flour and salt; mix until smooth and fluffy. KNOW WHEN TO STOP! scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add sugar, sour cream and lemon zest; beat until well blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour on top of the crust.

Bake in a bain marie (container is immersed about halfway into the working liquid. This is to prevent cheesecake cracks.) until filling is set but the center still jiggles when the pan is moved about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let cheesecake cool on a cooling rack at room temperature. The filling will firm up as it cools. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.


For toppings, you may add anything and everything as long as it caters your sweet tooth. I used canned cherries here. You can use fresh berries with a freshly made fruit syrup! That'd be heaven! :)

Go try and let me know the results! :)

Postscript: This is me trying to console myself for surviving Lemon Cleanse day 1 while enduring the battle of eating dinner which happened to be my favorite filipino food by the way, Kare-Kare (pork knuckles stewed in rich peanut sauce). It's usually partnered with sauteed shrimp paste.