New York-Style Cheesecake - Everyday Food with Sarah Carey

cream cheese

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: ricotta cheese

Greek yogurt is lower in fat and higher in protein.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey is a natural sweetener with a different flavor profile.

sour cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt provides similar creaminess with less fat.

Grind 12 graham crackers until they are very fine crumbs to get about 1 1/2 cups of crumbs.

In a bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of coarse salt, and 5 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter until moistened.

Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a buttered 9x3 inch springform pan, about 1 1/2 inches up the sides.

Bake the crust in a 375°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes until it starts to get a little darker around the edges and is dry on the bottom.

Let the crust cool after baking.

In a mixer, beat 2 1/2 lbs of room temperature cream cheese with 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar until smooth.

Add 4 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, and scrape down the bowl as needed.

Zest one lemon to get about a teaspoon of zest and add it along with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the mixture, then beat until combined.

Mix in 1 cup of sour cream until fully incorporated.

Wrap the bottom of the springform pan in aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in during baking.

Pour the cream cheese filling into the baked crust, smoothing out the top.

Prepare a water bath by placing a roasting pan in the oven and adding boiling water to it, coming halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake in the water bath at 325°F for about 1 hour and 3/4, checking after 1 hour and 20 minutes until the center is set but slightly jiggly.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool for about 20 minutes, running a pairing knife around the edges.

Refrigerate the cheesecake overnight before serving.

To slice, dip a knife in warm water for clean cuts, drying it off between slices.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens