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New York Cheese Cake
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs, Reserve 2 Tbsp.
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. sugar

Cheesecake:
7 pkgs. (8 oz. ea.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

Topping:
4 oz. pkg. frozen red raspberries
1 cup red wine
1/3 cup sugar
10 oz. jar red currant jelly.

Prepare Crust:
Preheat oven to 350° F. Toast pecans on baking sheet for 15 min., or until golden. Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300° F. Grind cracker crumbs and pecans in food processor until fine. Set aside 2 Tbsp.. Add butter and sugar to processor. Pulse to blend. Spray sides and bottom of cake pan with Pam®. Trace and cut out round of parchment to fit pan. Line bottom with parchment circle. Spray parchment and sides again. Make sure the pan is greased well so the cake doesn't stick to the sides and crack during baking. Sprinkle reserved 2 Tbsp. crumbs around sides of pan. Tilt and tap pan to distribute crumbs evenly. It'll be a light dusting of crumbs. With rubber spatula, press remaining crumb-butter mixture onto bottom of pan. Begin heating water for water bath.

Prepare Cheesecake:
In large mixing bowl, cream together cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl frequently during mixing so that no lumps remain. Add sour cream. Mix just to blend.
Pour batter into prepared pan which is set in a roasting pan. Smooth top. Be sure cake pan is taller than roaster or the cake will steam. Set roaster in oven on rack positioned in middle. Pour hot water into roaster to come 1"-1 1/2" up the sides of the cake pan.
Bake at 300° F. for 2-2 1/4 hrs. or until top is golden and cake is set around edges. It'll be jiggly in the center but will cook while it cools. Remove cake from roaster and set on cooling rack. Run knife around sides to loosen. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight. To unmold, run knife around sides again. Place inverted plate on cake and flip. Rap plate on counter and lift pan, shaking gently to release. Remove parchment from crust. Place serving plate on crust and invert again. Carefully remove top plate.
To serve, dip a thin-bladed knife in hot water and slice. Wipe blade clean and dip again after each cut.

Topping:
Combine berries, wine and sugar in saucepan over med. heat. Crush thawed berries with back of spoon. Strain raspberry juice through fine sieve; discard seeds. Return juice to saucepan. Simmer over med. heat about 25 min., until reduced to 1/2 cup and very syrupy. Whisk in currant jelly until melted. Cool to room temp. Pour about 1/4 cup cooled glaze on cheesecake. Spread lightly, leaving a 1/2" margin around edge. Randomly arrange 3 cups assorted fresh berries on top. Serve immediately.

(Makes 1- 8 inch Cake)

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