This cake is so divine on its own that we skipped the expected sweet topping, but you can also serve it with fresh or cooked fruit, or a drizzle of chocolate or caramel sauce. Use an oven thermometer to ensure that your oven is properly calibrated; even a 25-degree fluctuation can cause the cheesecake to puff up and develop surface cracks.
- Prep time 25 minutes
- Total time 11 hours & 30 minutes
- Portion size 16 servings
Ingredients
Crust:
Filling:
Method
Crust: In bowl, mix together graham crumbs, sugar and butter until well moistened. Press into bottom and 1-1/2 inches (4 cm) up side of lightly greased 10-inch (3 L) springform pan. Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven until firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.Whisk egg white with 2 tsp water until foamy; drizzle over crust, swirling pan to coat bottom and side. If necessary, use pastry brush to spread egg white to cover crust. Bake in 325°F (160°C) oven until crust appears dry, 7 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
Filling: While crust is cooling, in large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy; gradually beat in sugar and continue to beat, scraping down side of bowl twice, until smooth and light. On low speed, beat in eggs, 1 at a time and scraping down side of bowl often, just until combined. Stir in lemon juice, vanilla and salt; stir in sour cream in 2 additions until smooth. Pour over crust, smoothing top.
Bake in 275°F (140°C) oven until surface is no longer shiny and outer 2 inches (5 cm) of cheesecake appear set yet centre is still quite jiggly, 1-3/4 to 2 hours. Turn off oven; let cool in oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven; quickly run paring knife around edge of cheesecake. Let cool completely. Refrigerate until chilled, about 6 hours. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.)
Tip from The Test Kitchen: Gently swirling egg white over the baked crust may seem finicky, but it prevents the filling from turning the crust soggy. The result is a perfectly crisp yet pleasantly crumbly crust.
Nutritional facts per serving: about
- Sodium 329 mg
- Sugars 28 g
- Protein 10 g
- Calories 467.0
- Total fat 31 g
- Potassium 227 mg
- Cholesterol 130 mg
- Saturated fat 17 g
- Total carbohydrate 40 g
%RDI
- Iron 7.0
- Folate 11.0
- Calcium 13.0
- Vitamin A 30.0
- Vitamin C 2.0
