Great Aunt Jeanne’s Cheese Cake*

Ingredients:

Graham Cracker Crust:

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. brown sugar (can substitute white)
7 tbsp. butter melted

Cheesecake:

32 oz. cream cheese softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
⅔ cups sour cream
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
⅛ tsp. Salt
4 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten

Equipment:

9″ springform pan
2 mixing bowls

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F.

Graham Cracker Crust:

2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and brown sugar, and stir well.
3. Add melted butter and use a fork to combine ingredients well.
4. Pour crumbs into a 9” springform pan and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of your pan.
5. Set aside.

Cheesecake:

6. In a large bowl add cream cheese and stir until smooth and creamy.
7. Add sugar and stir again until creamy.
8. Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and salt, and stir until well-combined.
9. With mixer on low speed, gradually add lightly beaten eggs, one at a time, stirring just until each egg is just incorporated. Once all eggs have been added, use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again and make sure all ingredients are well combined.
10. Pour cheesecake batter into prepared springform pan. (To prevent leaks, place pan on a cookie sheet that’s been lined with foil.)
11. Put on the center rack of oven and bake on 325F for 50-60 minutes. Don’t over-bake. Edges will likely have slightly puffed and may have just begun to turn a light golden brown and the center should spring back to the touch but should still be jiggly.
12. Remove from oven and allow to cool on top of the oven for 10 minutes. Once 10 minutes has passed, use a knife to gently loosen the crust from the inside of the springform pan (to prevent cracks as cheesecake cools and shrinks). DO NOT remove the ring of the springform pan.
13. Allow cheesecake to cool another 1-2 hours or until near room temperature before transferring to refrigerator and allowing to cool overnight.
14. Remove the ring of the springform pan just before serving.

*Promotes lactation

© 2021, Kenneth Koziol. All rights reserved.