The Ultimate Cheesecake

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Show: Tyler's UltimateEpisode: Cheesecake

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (399)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(399)

Cook Time:
45 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Times:

Prep: 30 min
Inactive Prep: 4 hr 30 min
Cook: 45 min
Total:: 5 hr 45 min

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Ingredients

Crust:

2 cups finely ground graham crackers (about 30 squares)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

1 pound cream cheese, 2 (8-ounce) blocks, softened
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 pint sour cream
1 lemon, zested
1 dash vanilla extract
Warm Lemon Blueberry Topping, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1-inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.

For the Filling:

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well-mixed but not overbeaten. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate. Using a spatula spread a layer of Warm Lemon Blueberry topping over the surface.

Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water. Wipe dry after each cut.

Warm Lemon Blueberries:

1 pint blueberries
1 lemon, zested and juiced
2 tablespoons sugar

In a small saucepan add all the ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes or so until the fruit begins to break down slightly. Leave to cool before spreading on cheesecake.

Yield: 6 servings

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Comments & Reviews

recipe The Ultimate Cheesecake
angel miami Beach, FL 11-10-2009
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Excellent
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have made this recipe several times and it is always a winner. The best cheesecake I ever tried (and is not because I made... it). Great consistency and the kick of the lemon zest is amazing. As for the blueberry toping; I would not add the lemon juice either. In general, all Tyler's recipes I ever made have been great, "Moron" proof (easy to make) and delicious! AVMRead more
recipe The Ultimate Cheesecake
Regina Phoenix, AZ 10-19-2009
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Just Good
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

This cheesecake came out to fluffly for my taste. I also would never add lemon flavoring again. It really made it taste like... lemmon cheesecake and I just perfer it plain so I can add berries or chocolate on top. I did put it in a water bath and then had to take it out and take off the foil and cook for another 15 minutes to dry it out. Even with two layers of thick tin foil water still seeped in. I tried making another cheesecake the next day and used Idna Gardner's Raspberrie Cheesecake recipe. I omitted the lemmon & orange zest in this recipe and cooked as instructed but turned off the oven and left in for 45 minutes to cool slowly. I did put a pan of water under it to prevent it cracking which worked much better. Her cheesecake recipe is just like The Cheesecake Factory cheesecake, Excellent!Read more
recipe The Ultimate Cheesecake
Pearl Los Angles, CA 10-11-2009
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The Best Cheese Cake
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Dear Tyler, This is the best cheesecake my family and i have ever had. We love it so much. Our friends enjoy it to. Tyler... you are the cutest guy on foodnetwork and we all love you.Read more
recipe The Ultimate Cheesecake
Gabby Sandy, UT 10-10-2009
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Never have I ever tasted a better cheesecake than this one!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I make this every year around the holidays and my relatives have fallen in love with this cheescake!! This is a perfect... recipe! Soo CREAMY and delicious! I even use 1/3 less fat cream cheese to save some calories and it still tastes like heaven. I also sometimes mix up the topping and use different berries for a new twist. Tyler never seems to disappoint! YummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmRead more
recipe The Ultimate Cheesecake
Sarah Garland, TX 10-08-2009
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Superb!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Every time I have made this cheesecake, it has garnered rave reviews. No one could believe that I made it nyself. It is... absolutely delicious and creamy, and fairly easy to make. I will be making this again for sure!Read more
recipe The Ultimate Cheesecake
Deanna Evansville, IN 10-01-2009
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My "go to" cheesecake recipe!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have made this cheesecake 3 times in the last 2 weeks and every time there was nearly a fight for the last piece! This is... a creamy, decadent, yet somehow comparatively light cheesecake that is now become my only cheesecake recipe. The only change I've made is that when I use the 8 inch springform pan, I only use half of the recipe for the crust. I thought the entire 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs for the 8 in. pan made a thicker crust than I cared for. I did use the entire crust recipe and "half-agained" the filling for a beautiful 9 inch cheesecake. Also, trust the recipe when it says to be careful not to overbake! The edges will just be set and there will be fair amount of "jiggle" in the middle the cheesecake when you take it out of the oven. It does set up nicely as it cools. I do recommend baking this 12-24 hours in advance to give it plenty of time to set up. Next time I make this, I'm going to try adding mini chocolate chips to the filling before baking for a chocolate chip cheesecake and I'm working on tweaking it to make a pumpkin cheesecake for Thanksgiving. Thank you, Tyler! Love your recipes!!Read more