Ingredients
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 orange, zested
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Strawberry Sauce, optional, recipe follows
- Blueberry Sauce, optional, recipe follows
- Pineapple Sauce, optional, recipe follows
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Butter the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar and mix well. Press onto bottom of springform pan and bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool. When completely cooled, butter the sides of the pan.
Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, zests and vanilla and beat until light and creamy. Add the flour, then the eggs and yolks 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and mix until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 12 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees F and bake for 1 hour more. Transfer cake to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate cake overnight before serving.
To serve, top with sauce of choice. Slice with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped with a clean cloth, and serve.
Strawberry Sauce:
2 pints fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons kirsch or brandy
Combine berries, sugar, water and zest and cook until berries are soft and the liquid is thick, about 10 minutes. Stir in the kirsch or brandy and cook for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and let cool. Spoon on top of the cheesecake and serve.
Blueberry Sauce:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
1 1/2 cups blueberries, picked over and rinsed
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat stir together the sugar, cornstarch, water, orange juice, and orange zest. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the blueberries and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the berries have burst, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Remove from heat and let cool before pouring over the cheesecake.
Yield: 3 cups
Pineapple Sauce:
3 cups fresh 1/2-inch diced pineapple chunks
1/4 cup sugar, plus more to taste
1 cup water
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons light rum
Combine pineapple, sugar, water and zest, and cook until pineapple is tender and the liquid is thick, about 15 minutes. Stir in the rum, and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from the heat and let cool. Spoon on top of the cheesecake and serve.
Yield: about 3 cups
















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By cherylfifi
on March 24, 2013
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I've been looking for a cheesecake recipe that has that real restaurant quality to it. THIS IS IT! I didn't even bother with the toppings. Great just as is....and it goes a long way.
By ameglio
on February 14, 2013
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I chose this recipe without reading the reviews because it had 5 stars. Bad idea! I made a cheesecake before this that turned out good, but I didn't want to have to do the water bath, so I decided to try this one instead. I followed this recipe to the "T" and it ended up with a burnt crust and the entire top of the cheesecake cracked. I tasted the filling and it tasted good, but it looks terrible. I wish I could give this recipe zero stars...
By tampa614_11745735
Tampa, FL
on February 04, 2013
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I followed the recipe exactly. The batter just about overflowed the pan when cooking, the top and sides were dark brown.
I am now replacing it with Tyler Florences recipe - lower heat and water bath.
I hope it chills in time for dinner tonight and comes out better than Emeril's..
Read all 191 reviews