- Crust
- 12 whole graham cracker, blended into crumbs
- 5 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbs sugar
- pinch of salt
- Filling
- 2lbs full fat cream cheese
- 2 c sugar
- 3 Tbs flour
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ c full fat sour cream
- 6 eggs
- Equipment
- Stand mixer
- 10" springform pan
- Roaster pan, large enough to hold the 10" pan (I use a large disposable roaster pan)
- Tin foil
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees.
- Move an oven rack to lower-middle of the oven.
- Wrap the springform in foil as best possible to prevent water from entering the cheesecake while it cooks in the water bath. A little water will likely seep in, but after it cools, it will just fine.
- Butter the inside of a 10" springform pan.
- Heat several cups of water in a saucepan. (You will need several cups of boiling water before you put the cake in the oven for a water bath.)
- Crust:
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar, and salt in the springform pan, with your hands, until it feels like wet sand and hold together when pressed. Press the mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides.
- Bake for 10-minutes, until it smells toasty. Set aside.
- Filling:
- Whip the cream cheese in a stand mixer, on med-high speed, until smooth (you can bring the cream cheese to room temp to make it easier, but just whipping it for a few minutes does just fine).
- Add the sugar, flour, and salt and whip until combined. Scrape bottom and sides.
- Add vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sour cream. Mix on low-med speed until combined. Scrape bottom and sides.
- Mix on low, adding one egg at a time, mixing until each egg is combined before adding the next. It might begin looking lumpy, but it will combine as you continue stirring. Scrape bottom and sides, making sure all the ingredients are mixed.
- The batter should look thick and creamy. If you have small cream cheese lumps at this point, don't worry. They will blend when cooked.
- Mix by hand a few times, scraping the sides and bottom.
- Baking:
- Pour the filling into the pan. Place the springform pan in the roaster, and gently pour the boiling water into the roaster, until the water is about 1" up the outside of the springform pan.
- Bake for about 90 minutes, until the internal temp is 165-degrees. Turn off the oven and open the door. Let the cake cool for about 1 hour. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to cool.
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