Homemade Cheesecake

My husband LOVES cheesecake. Out of all the desserts we have that is the one thing he actually asks for.

His birthday was coming up so I decided to try and make him a homemade cheesecake.

I searched the internet and found this recipe on foodnetwork.com it is supposed to be just like The Cheesecake Factory.  Oh boy...was I excited.  So I read the recipe and it actually doesn't cost too much to make, it just takes quite a bit of time.  So I went to the store and got the ingredients and since I didn't have much time the week of his birthday, I made it two and a half days before the actual day.  This turned out to be a good thing because letting it season is the key to the flavor!

These are the ingredients for the crust.  You really are going to want a spring-form pan  to make this cheesecake.  Luckily I have an awesome sister (thanks Erin!) and she had one I could borrow.

Vanilla wafers, walnuts, pecans, almonds and butter.

There is a recipe (below) that doesn't include the nuts and it is just as simple.

Chop up your nuts and your vanilla wafers so they are very finely chopped.

I have a handy dandy Pampered Chef Food Chopper and it did the job quickly.

Combine your cookies and nuts and mix well.  Mix with the butter and press into the bottom of the pan.

Next you are going to start making the good part - the filling.  The most important thing about making this cheesecake is make sure ALL ingredients are at room temperature.

Beat your cream cheese until it is fluffy, and then keeping the setting on low add your sugar a little bit at a time.  Keep your mixer going, don't stop.

Next you will add the eggs one at a time and make sure you beat well before adding the next one.

Add the rest of your ingredients and mix well.

You will then pour your cream cheese mixture into the spring form pan, over your crust.

This is when I did a taste test and I will tell you that the flavor is so heavenly...so creamy and good.

Mmmmm...

You are then going to bake this for one hour and 15 minutes.  After that time turn off the oven and crack your oven door and let it sit for an hour.

Looks yummy fresh out of the oven...smells wonderful too.

You then place this in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  I kept mine in the pan and covered. (don't let the picture deceive you).  You need to wait for the 24 hours...it has to season.  

YUM!!!  It was wonderful. :)

Homemade Cheesecake
Crust:

¼ Cup Pecans, finely chopped

¼ Cup Walnuts, finely chopped

¼ Cup Almonds, finely chopped

¾ Cup Vanilla Wafers, finely chopped

2 Tbsp Butter, melted

Mix the nuts and wafers with the butter and press into a spring-form pan.

Crust (without Nuts):

1 ½ Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs

¼ tsp Cinnamon

1/3 Cup Margarine, melted

Mix the crackers, cinnamon with the margarine and press into a spring-form pan and refrigerate.

Filling:

1 ½ lb Cream Cheese

1 1/3 Cup Sugar

5 Eggs

16 oz Sour Cream

¼ Cup Flour

2 tsp Vanilla

2 tsp Lemon Juice

*All ingredients should be room temperature!

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.  Keep your mixture on the low setting during the entire mixing process.  Add the sugar a little at a time and continue until creamy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each egg.  Add the flour, vanilla and the lemon juice and mix well.  Add the sour cream and beat well.  Pour your cream cheese mixture into the spring-form pan.   Place on the top rack in the middle of the oven and bake for one hour and fifteen minutes.  When the time is up, turn off the oven, prop open the oven door and leave for one hour.  Remove from the oven and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Cheesecake needs to season – be patient and wait...it is worth it. :)