Cheesecake does not need to be an intimidating dessert to make. It's actually not very hard at all as long as you have two very important things: the right baking pan and patience. A
springform pan is an absolute necessity and worth a small investment if you're a cheesecake lover. The patience you already have inside yourself. You want time to make, bake and chill your cheesecake with no rushing. That's how you end up with the wonderfully fluffy texture. Make your cheesecake the day before you need it and allow it to fully chill overnight. Trust me, it's worth the wait. Are you ready to get started?
Cheesecake
graham cracker crust
6 tablespoons sugar
3 cups broken graham cracker pieces
1/2 cup butter, melted
Liberally butter a 9-inch springform pan. Combine the sugar and graham crackers in a food processor until you have a fine crumb. Slowly drizzle the butter in until well combined. If needed, add more butter until all of the crumbs are moist. Press into the bottom of the pan.
cheesecake
4 eggs, separated
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Use a mixer to beat the egg yolks until light and lemon colored. Add the cream cheese, lemon juice, zest and sugar and beat until combined. Add sugar and whip until thick and fluffy in texture. Sprinkle flour on top and give a quick mix to incorporate. In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until they are opaque and hold a soft peak. Use a spatula to carefully fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture to gently incorporate without over mixing. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and place the pan inside a larger baking dish such as a roasting pan or larger casserole dish. Add warm water to the baking pan to come within an inch of the top of the springform pan. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheesecake is just set and is very lightly browned, about 50-60 minutes. Remove from the oven and take the springform pan outside of the water bath to cool at least 30 minutes before removing it. Then, allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring it to the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.
HINT: Top your cheesecake with your favorite fruit pie filling, ganache or fresh berries.
