Creamy, Satiny New York Cheesecake

New York cheesecake is sweet, tangy and rich.  The flavor is simple and pure.  The texture is thick, smooth, and creamy.  Not dense like other cheesecakes, it is more velvety and suede-like.  Not overly sweet or cloying, it is amazing alone or topped with a tangy fruit puree.  LOVE!  This cake has a pretty great stature.  It is made with 2 1/2 pounds (5 bars) of cream cheese and 6 large eggs plus two additional egg yolks.  It fills a 9 inch springform pan to the rim.  The crust is made of graham crackers.  To. Die. For.

New York Cheesecake
from the cookbook, The New Best Recipes

Crust:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted plus 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter for the pan
8 whole graham crackers (4ounces) broken into rough pieces and processed in a food processor to fine, even crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
*I also added a pinch of salt, but it is not in the recipe

Filling:
2 1/2 pounds (five 8 ounce packages) cream cheese, cut into rough 1 inch chunks, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons juice from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks, plus 6 large eggs, at room temperature

For the crust:

• Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees.  Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan and press evenly into the pan bottom.  Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 13 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack while making the filling.

For the filling:

• Increase the oven temp to 500 degrees.  In the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium -low speed to break up and soften it slightly, about 1 minute.  Scrape the beater and the bottom and sides of the bowl well with a rubber spatula; add the salt and about half of the sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute.  Scrape the bowl; beat in the remaining sugar until combined, about 1 minute.  Scrape the bowl: add the sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla and beat at low speed until combined. Scrape the bowl; add the egg yolks and beat and med-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.  Scrape the bowl; add the remaining eggs, two at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl between additions.
• Brush the sides of the springform pan with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon melted butter,  Set the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spills if the pan leaks).  Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake 10 minutes; without opening the the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until the cheesecake registers about 150 degrees on and instant read thermometer inserted in the center, about 1 1/2 hours. 
• Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool until barely warm. 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Run a paring knife between the cake and the pan sides.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. (The cheesecake can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.)
• To unmold the cheesecake, remove the sides of the pan,  Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and the bottom of the pan to loosen, then slide the cake onto a serving plate,  Let the cheesecake stand at room temp about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve with fresh strawberry topping if desired.

Look at all of that cream cheese!  This is definately not a lowfat recipe:)

Press the crumbs down with a cup or bottom of a ramekin.

                                     

Use the back of a spoon to smooth it all down.

                                     

After the crust has cooled completely from baking, fill it with the cheesecake mixture.  Make sure it is set on a rimmed baking sheet.

                                      

After it is baked, let it cool on a wire rack.

                                   

This topping is just a puree of strawberries, some sugar to taste, a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt.  I strained it through a fine mesh colander to make it seedless...so good!