New York Cheesecake

This cheesecake is creamy smooth, lightly sweet, with a touch of lemon. It has become the favorite of family and friends who've had the good fortune to be served this slice of the heavenly goodness.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Generously butter the inside of a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil tightly around the outside bottom and sides, crimping and pleating the foil to make it conform to the pan. This will help to prevent water seeping into the pan when you put it into the bain-marie. Position the baking rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 150°C.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the sour cream until *well blended*.

Step 3

In a medium-sized bowl, beat the cream cheese with the butter until smooth and creamy. Add this to the egg-sour cream mixture and *beat until smooth*.

Step 4

Add the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest and *beat thoroughly, about 2 minutes*.

Step 5

Pour into the prepared springform pan and place in a roasting pan (or other pan) large enough to prevent the sides from touching. Place in the oven and carefully pour in enough very hot tap water to reach halfway up the sides of the springform pan.

Step 6

Bake for 2 hours, 15 minutes, or until the cake is very lightly colored and a knife inserted in the center emerges clean. Remove from the water bath and carefully peel the aluminum foil from around the pan. Let stand at room temperature until completely cool, about 4 hours. Refrigerate, covered, until well chilled. For best flavor and texture, this cheesecake is best chilled overnight.

Step 7

Have a platter or other large dish that will hold the hot and drippy springform pan after you remove it from the bain-marie. When you remove the bain-marie from the oven, the water is very hot, so exercise extreme caution.

Step 8

When you first remove the cheesecake from the oven, it looks light and puffy, and there may be some hairline cracks in the top. Do not despair. As the cheesecake cools, it will gently deflate and the hairline cracks disappear.

Step 9

It's possible to get water leaks into the crust; however, rolling the sides down a little so they are not over the cake can solve this issue. You can use crock pot liners instead of foil to do this.