Bill's Cheesecake with Sour Cream
Submitted by lenge2
New York-style sour cream cheesecake on a graham cracker almond crust with lemon juice and almond extract. Slow-cooled in the oven to prevent cracking.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
45 minCOOK
75 minREADY
120 minA proper New York-style cheesecake with a pound and a half of cream cheese, sour cream, and five eggs, set on a graham cracker crust enriched with ground almonds. The almond extract and lemon juice give it a flavor profile that’s more nuanced than a plain vanilla cheesecake. This is a big, tall, creamy showpiece.
The almond-graham crust is a smart upgrade. Ground almonds mixed with the cracker crumbs add a toasty, nutty flavor and a sturdier base that doesn’t crumble into sawdust when you cut a slice. Chilling the crust for 30 minutes before filling firms the butter and locks the crumbs together.
Separating the eggs and whipping the whites into the batter is what gives this cheesecake its lighter texture. Most cheesecake recipes add whole eggs. Here, the yolks go into the cream cheese mixture for richness, and the whipped whites get folded in at the end for a slightly airier, souflee-like quality. Fold gently. Stirring deflates the whites and you lose that lift.
The slow cooling is everything. After 75 minutes of baking, the oven door opens, the heat shuts off, and the cheesecake stays inside for a full hour. This gradual temperature drop prevents the dramatic contraction that causes cracks across the surface.
Chef Tips
- Cream cheese must be at room temperature. Cold cream cheese creates lumps that won’t beat out, no matter how long you mix.
- Beat the yolks in one at a time. Each yolk needs to be fully incorporated before the next goes in.
- Don’t open the oven during baking. Temperature fluctuations cause cracking.
- Chill at least an hour before removing the springform sides. A warm cheesecake slumps without the pan’s support.
Variations
- Chocolate swirl: Drop spoonfuls of melted chocolate into the batter before baking and drag a knife through for a marble effect.
- Berry topping: Spoon fresh mixed berries macerated in sugar over each slice when serving.
- Cookie crust: Replace the graham crackers with crushed vanilla wafers or shortbread cookies for a different base flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix together the crumbs, nuts, and melted butter.
Pack onto the bottom of a greased 10-inch spring form pan.
Chill 30 minutes.
Beat together the cheese, 1 cup of the sugar, and the salt.
Add the flour and egg yolks, one at a time, beating until very smooth.
Beat in the lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract and sour cream.
Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually beat in the remaining sugar until stiff but not dry; fold into the cheese mixture.
Slowly pour into the prepared chilled spring form pan.
Bake in a preheated 325 degree F. oven 1¼ hours. Open the oven door, turn off the oven, and leave the cake to cool for 1 hour.
Remove from oven and finish cooling on a cake rack, then chill at least an hour before removing the sides of the pan.
Serves 10 - 12.
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