Evelyns Cheesecake Recipes

EVELYN'S CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position rack 1/3 down from TOP of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F (175C).
• Butter a 13x9x2" cake pan or large springform pan (put foil around outside of springform pan as the cheesecake batter is quite runny) and set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat cheese and butter until soft and smooth.
• Beat in vanilla, sugar and cornstarch and continue beating until smooth.
• Beat in eggs one at a time and then, on low speed, gradually add the cream.
• The mixture will be very thin.
• Add lemon juice and beat only to mix.
• Pour into pan, place in larger pan that is not deeper than cake pan and pour in hot water almost 1" deep.
• Bake for 30 minutes, rotate pan from front to back; raise oven temperature to 400 degrees F (190C) and bake 10-15 minutes more, until top is pale golden-brown.
• Remove from hot water and let cool completely (do NOT!!! refrigerate until it has been removed from baking pan! otherwise you'll never be able to get presentable pieces out.).
• Turn out onto cake plate and serve with your topping of choice (strawberries and whipped cream are always good).

CLASSIC NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the lower middle position. Wrap a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with one large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, covering the underside and extending all the way to the top so there are no seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. Repeat with another sheet of foil for insurance. Spray the inside of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined. Press the crumbs into an even layer on the the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until set. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Set a kettle of water to boil.
• Make the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and flour together on medium speed until just smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to be sure the mixture is evenly combined. Add the vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt; beat on low speed until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated, scraping the bowl as necessary. Mix in the sour cream. Make sure the batter is uniform but do not over-mix.
• Check to make sure your oven has cooled to 325°F, then set the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour the batter on top of the crust. Pour the boiling water into the large roasting pan to come about 1 inch up the side of the cake pan. Bake until the cake is just set, 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes. (If the cheesecake starts to look too golden on top towards the end, cover it loosely with foil.) The cake should not look liquidy at all but will wobble just a bit when the pan is nudged; it will continue to cook as it cools. Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool the cheesecake in the water bath until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove the springform pan from the water bath and discard the foil. If necessary, run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it's not sticking to the sides (which can cause cracks as it cools), then cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• For serving: Remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve the cheesecake right from the base of the pan; or, to transfer it to a serving platter, run a long, thin spatula between the crust and the pan bottom, and then use two large spatulas to carefully transfer the cheesecake to a serving dish. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between slices. Serve with berry sauce, if you like.
• Make Ahead: The cheesecake can be made and stored in the springform pan in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap, up to two days ahead of time.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cheesecake can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the cake in the freezer briefly, unwrapped, to firm it up. Then double-wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic freezer wrap, or place it in heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat it.
• Pro Tip: Springform pans are notorious for leaking. Since a cheesecake bakes in a water bath, the foil prevents the water from seeping in during baking. Please do not attempt to use standard 12-inch (30cm) aluminum foil - you can't have any foil seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. No matter how well (or how many times) you wrap the pan, if there are seams exposed to the water, the water will find a way in. Even when wrapped properly, you can occasionally get some condensation inside the foil. If this happens, don't worry - the crust is likely just a bit moist around the edges. Simply remove the sides of the springform pan before refrigerating and let it dry out in the refrigerator.

BANANA PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE AKA "THE ELVIS"

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a circle of waxed paper.
• Mix graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, 3/4 teaspoon banana extract, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a bowl until mixture holds together; transfer into bottom of prepared cake pan. Use a second 8-inch cake pan to press the crust firmly.
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• Pour water to a depth of about 1 inch into the bottom of a double boiler and bring to a boil. Place peanut butter chips and half-and-half into the top of the boiler and set over the bottom of the boiler (boiling water shouldn't touch top boiler). Stir until the chips have melted and the mixture is smooth; set aside to cool.
• Place cream cheese into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer and slowly mix, using paddle attachment, until cream cheese is smooth. Increase speed to medium and beat in 1/2 cup sugar. Beat eggs into mixture, 1 at a time, blending the next egg in after the previous one is fully incorporated. Beat in bananas, vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon banana extract, and lemon juice, stopping occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl. Finally, beat in peanut butter chip mixture until cheesecake batter is smooth and even. Pour filling into the graham cracker crust.
• Set the cheesecake on a large baking pan. Pour enough water into the baking pan to reach most of the way up the sides of the cheesecake pan, creating a water bath. Bake cheesecake in the preheated oven until filling is set, about 1 hour. Turn off oven, open door, and let cheesecake cool slowly in the oven for 1 hour.
• Run a knife around the inside of the cheesecake pan and flip the pan over onto a cooling rack. Place a dish towel on the bottom of the pan. Use a hot water-filled tea kettle to rub the dish towel, gently heating the bottom of the cheesecake; slowly remove pan. Place a serving platter on top and use the wire rack to flip the cake back over onto platter. Refrigerate cheesecake for 8 hours.