The Cheesecake Recipe

Because of the extreme panic of the-day-before-Thanksgiving-and-I-can't-find-the-cheesecake-recipe-anywhere, I am uploading this so that I can find it easily. Shhhhh....

Shortbread Crust

One 9” pie or 9½” or so tart crust

This rich, sweet dough resembles a shortbread cookie. Use it for cream pie, a lemon tart, a fresh fruit tart with pastry cream, or any other pie or tart with a creamy or buttery filling, or to make approximately eight 3½” tartlet crust. For tartlets, press the dough into your molds and bake until firm and golden, about 15 minutes, pricking with fork several times during baking.

If you make this in a food processor using cold butter, it will be firm enough to form into a crust at once; if made by hand with softened butter, the dough will require brief chilling before forming.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F. grease or butter the bottom, but not the sides of a 9” pie pan or 9½” or 10” two-piece tart pan. Dust the pan with flour, tilt to coat the bottom, then tap out the excess. (If using a tart pan, pop out the bottom, wedge it between your palms, and tap.)

Whisk together in a bowl or process for 10 seconds in a food processor:

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Add:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened if working by hand, cut into 8 pieces

Mash with the back of a fork or process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add:

• 1 large egg yolk

Mix with a spatula or process just until the dough comes together in a ball. If the dough is too soft and sticky to work with, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. Pat the dough evenly over the bottom and sides of the prepared pan, or roll it between sheets of wax paper and flip it into the pan. Do not attempt to crimp or flute the edge. Thoroughly prick the bottoms and sides with a fork. Bake until deep golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes. If you are filling the crust with an un cooked mixture that requires further baking, whisk together, then brush the inside with:

• 1 large egg yolk
• Pinch of salt

Return to the oven until the egg glaze sets, 1 to 2 minutes.

New York Cheesecake

15 to 20 servings

For many New Yorkers, this is the biggest and best cheesecake of all.  (If you are baking for New Yorkers, go easy on the lemon zest or leave it out entirely.) Do not be afraid of the extreme oven temperature – the surface of the cake will be golden, with a creamy interior. Preheat the oven to 400°F. lightly grease a 9” spring form pan.

Prepare the dough for Shortbread Crust.

Press ⅓ of the dough, or slightly less, over the bottom as evenly as possible. Prick the dough all over with a fork. Bake until the crust is a light golden brown. 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Press the remaining dough about ⅛” thick around the sides of the pan, making sure that it is attached to the bottom crust all around. Brush the bottom and sides of the crust with:

• 1 egg white, well beaten.

Refrigerate the crust if you are not filling it right away.

Have all the ingredients at room temperature, 68°F to 70°F. Preheat the oven to 500°F.

In a large bowl, beat until creamy, about 30 seconds:

• 2½ pounds cream cheese

Scrape the sides of the bowl and the beaters well. Gradually add and beat until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes:

• 1¾ cups sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional)

Beat in:

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Beat in 1 at a time, just until incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl and the beaters after each addition:

• 5 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks

On low speed, beat in:

• ½ cup heavy cream

Scrape the batter into the crust and smooth the top. Bake for 15 minutes at 500°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 200°F and bake for 1 hour more. Turn the oven off, prop the oven door a jar with the handle of a wooden spoon, and let the cake cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool completely in the pan before unmolding. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably 24 hours, before serving. The cheese flavor is even more intense after 48 hours.