Manhantten Style Cheesecake

The first cheesecake that I ever made was from this recipe.  I was a teenager and discovering the power of baking.  I was greatly influenced by my own mother and  many family members who enjoy baking.  My cousin made a cheesecake like dessert with fruit on top, possibly called fruit pizza that was just delicious and then, at another family event, my aunt made a cheesecake. Cheesecake to this point had not been part of my family's dessert experience but this cheesecake caused a buzz around the family - recipes were exchanged and cheesecakes were made.  My mom purchased a springform pan and made a fruit topped cheesecake for a luncheon with friends that was so rich, delicious, heavy and dense.  I couldn't wait to try it myself. It was an empowering concept that I could make, really make, any of the wonderful desserts listed in a cookbook especially being a teenage girl who loved sweets this was nearly nirvana.   From those early days of exploring to today, baking and cooking are sweet moments of creativity expressed with love.

Manhatten Style Cheesecake

Crust
2/3 cup butter softened
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 egg yolk
zest of 1/2 of a lemon

In a mixer bowl beat butter, flour, sugar, egg yolk, and lemon zest until mixed.
Shape into disc and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Press dough into the bottom  and up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan.
Bake for 8 minutes and set aside to cool.

Cheesecake
24 ounces or three 8 ounce packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons milk
3 eggs
1 egg yolk
zest of 1 small lemon

Reduce oven temperature to 375 F.
In stand mixer with paddle, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth.
Slowly beat in sugar.
Scrape bowl, and with mixer at low speed add remaining ingredients flour, milk, eggs, egg yolk, and lemon zest.
Beat for 5 minutes at medium speed.
Pour cream cheese batter into pan and bake for 10 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 300 F and bake for 20 minutes.
Turn oven off  and leave cheesecake in oven for 20 minutes.
Remove and cool in pan on a wire rack.
Chill for 2 hours or until cold.

Top with Chocolate Ganache or
2 large kiwis sliced thin
1/2 pint strawberries sliced thin
Arrange fruit in a pleasing design on top 
Brush 2 tablespoons apple or apricot jelly melted over low heat.

Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake has always been a special dessert in my family because it is the ultimate rich and decadent dessert cake. Growing up, making cheesecake became popular - everyone was making it, and, subsequently cheesecake recipes passed through the family like a wildfire. There is the famous cheesecake my Aunt Julie made and then the excitement over my mother buying a spring form pan. I loved those little mini cheesecakes made with vanilla wafers and cheesecake filling in muffin wrappers that were present at every cousin's wedding and baby shower.  I loved it when my mother made a number of cheesecakes that were delicious and not too sweet as my mother did not like things to be too sugary sweet, of which I take after her.  There was always talk of the cost  because of the number and amount of ingredients, and then there was the famous cheesecake that overflowed the pan and spilled into the bottom of the oven and filled the house with a burnt cheesecake smell. Despite my mom cleaning the oven many times, the smell of burnt cheesecake wafted out of the oven every time we used it for years. 

I still love cheesecake and love to make it in the bar form so my kids can pack it in their school lunches, plus, I will admit, that I like to eat cheesecake out of hand like a cookie. This recipe was easy and delicious with a firm crust. I use Annie's brand bunny grahams for the crust.

Cheesecake Bars

Crust

preheat oven to 325F

1 1/2 cups to 1 3/4 cups or so of graham cracker crumbs

5 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons flour

dash of salt

Pulverize the graham crackers in a food processor and add the rest of the ingredients until ingredients are incorporated.

Press evenly into pan (I used a removable bottom rectangular tart pan or you can line a 8 or 9 inch square pan with overlapping foil or parchement for easy removal). Play with the size depending on your preference for a thin or thicker cheesecake layer.

Bake at 325F for 12 minutes until fragrant and beginning to brown.

Cheesecake

2 8 ounce packages of softened cream cheese

2/3 cup of sugar

1/4 cup sour cream

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese until smooth. 

Gradually add sugar and beat until incorporated. 

Beat in eggs one at a time until combined.

Mix in sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla until combined. 

Pour filling over baked crust. Spread evenly. 

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until edges are set and center jiggles slightly. (adjust your baking times for your pan size).

Top with a chocolate ganache if desired.

Chill well. Cut into squares and serve.

Chocolate Ganache

Melt 1 cup of semisweet chocolate and about a 1/4 cup of heavy cream over a double boiler. Add more or less cream according to how thick or thin you would like the ganache.